• Ask Coach Kellogg | Listen To Monday's Radio Show, 7 p.m.

Since then Carter has thrived. He's averaging 6.25 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in four games as a reserve, culminating in Saturday's effort.

The Daily Collegian also has a story on Carter and his contributions to the UMass win.

"That may have been the best game he's played since he's been here," UMass coach Derek Kellogg said after the win. "I thought Sean was great. Since he's gone to the bench, it's ironic that he's played such good basketball."

The T-shirts and jerseys were summoned from the backs of closets and the bottoms of old drawers, called into duty for the first time in over a decade.

Among the crowd of 3,395 fans Saturday were T-shirts that read "Final Rage in the Cage," "Sweet Sixteen '92" or "Refuse to Lose." Other fans had old replica tank tops of Marcus Camby and Lou Roe.

Most didn't seem to fit quite as well as they probably did when they were purchased. But nostalgia trumped comfort. Heck, nostalgia trumped pretty much everything Saturday as the Minutemen moved back up the hill for one day.

7-0: Notre Dame, Pitt, Cleveland State, Loyola (Ill.)

6-0: Duke, UMass, Iowa State, Kansas, Georgetown, Syracuse, Indiana, Minnesota, BYU, San Diego State

5-0: Missouri, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Ohio State, Memphis, UCF, UNLV, Tennessee, South Dakota State, Boise State, Hawaii

4-0: Baylor, Louisville, Northwestern, Southern Miss, Washington State, Mississippi State, UMKC

In the Jets' defensive backfield, James Ihedigbo is known as the "hype man."

"He's like Lil Jon," secondary coach Dennis Thurman said, referencing the crunk rapper known for getting crowds fired up. "He's that guy for us."

The fourth-year safety has a contagious energy on game days, delivering inspirational speeches and inciting his teammates in a way that makes his coaches grin. He thrives on the hunt for big plays, and celebrates with his trademark digging act afterward, as he did on a key punt recovery against the Bengals on Thanksgiving night.

Ihedigbo's passion is unmistakable, but just as important has been learning how to harness it: in football, as a core special-teams player and versatile defensive sub, and in life, as he works to carry on his late father's commitment to educational opportunities, particularly for those of African descent.

"It comes with maturity," Ihedigbo said. "Understanding the player I need to be on the field, and who I am off the field."

To the players, it has been a place to practice when the Mullins Center is not available. To older fans, it was home to Julius Erving, Al Skinner and Jack Leaman, and where John Calipari first forged his coaching identity.

Nearly 18 years after the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team abandoned Curry Hicks Cage as a prime tenant, the 4,058-seat barn retains a beloved place in school annals.

With too little time between Wednesday's win over American International College and Saturday's 3 p.m. game against Holy Cross, most of the University of Massachusetts men's basketball players didn't go home for Thanksgiving.

Instead, the Minutemen visited and shared a turkey dinner with staff at the Northampton Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Northampton on Thursday.

UMass coach Derek Kellogg said it was a new experience for most of his players and he was proud of the way they handled themselves.

"It was an eye-opening thing for a lot of us. You want to go and have a good time and brighten somebody's day and let them know we appreciate what they've done," Kellogg said. "Some of them don't have families or can't get home to their families, so it was good to go and change the monotony."

With the Bengals in his NFL debut, Jeromy Miles made two tackles in the third quarter on special teams.

Check out this story on Ihedigbo in the New York Post.

"Thank God I had the opportunity to make a big play and kind of contribute," Ihedigbo said after the Jets' 26-10 win over the Bengals last night at New Meadowlands Stadium. "Then we get another touchdown out of it. Everything happens for a reason."

Don Akerson '58
Jim Burke '76
Chuck Demers '53
John Edgar '57
Bob Eichorn '60
Eldon Goodhue '65
Thomas Kelly '43
Tom McLaughlin '73
Ed McGrath '49
Sam Provo '72
Peter Trow '76
John Widdison '62
Harper Williams '93

Here are previews from the media:

• Daily Hampshire Gazette: UMass men's basketball hosts underdog AIC

• Springfield Republican: Basketball battle of the 413 area code: UMass will take on AIC

Read about Holmes' honors and others in various stories:

• Daily Hampshire Gazette: Holmes collects defensive honors for UMass

• Boston Globe: Holmes Gains CAA Honors

• Boston Herald: Honor for Holmes

• The Examiner: UMass Athletics Weekend Roundup

The games were good. The teams were of reasonable caliber. Yet something was missing from the Hall of Fame Tip-Off basketball tournament. Fans.

The normal next step to the discussion is to criticize the market. Springfield doesn't support anything, right? Wrong. At least this time.

This poorly-attended tournament was sabotaged when the Hall of Fame could sign only seven Division I teams and not eight, forcing the traditional brackets to be replaced by a confusing schedule of teams in no discernible format.

It was doomed when fans were denied the chance to buy single-game tickets. That probably kept a lot of UMass fans away, and it was the UMass presence that officials were counting on to carry this event.

Greg Mauldin's boxes remain over a thousand miles away, untouched and unpacked in his new Cleveland apartment.

His home for the past few weeks has been the somewhat spacious but decidedly bland confines of a Residence Inn room in Denver. But for now, Mauldin would rather keep collecting those Marriott points than decorate his new digs.

The Holliston native is currently in his third tour of duty in the National Hockey League, although this one has been by far the most rewarding.

University of Massachusetts senior guard Anthony Gurley enjoyed the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team's Saturday night win over New Mexico State, but warned against getting too excited.

"Last year we had a big time win against Memphis and in the next game we had a let down against Boston College," Anthony Gurley said. "It's important that we keep steady progress. We're not satisfied yet. We want more."

Also on the news front related to the Horned Frogs, TCU moved to 3-1 in handing Bradley its first loss of the season with a 74-68 decision on Sunday. Read more about the game in the Springfield Republican.

Look back at the tough 37-34 loss to Rhode Island on Saturday.

Check out the Daily Collegian's Nick Bellofatto's preview of the weekend as well as UMassAthletics.com's preview.

This game looks a lot harder than it did at the beginning of the season. A lot more important, too.

The University of Massachusetts football team will play at Rhode Island Saturday, needing a victory to retain hope of a postseason berth. The Minutemen (6-4, 4-3 Colonial Athletic Association) would not be assured a spot by winning, but a 7-4 record would make a very strong case.

"We were very excited to have Stephane Lasme on our team, and it is disappointing that Red Claws fans will have to wait to see what an incredible athlete and person he is," Red Claws president and general manager Jon Jennings said in a release. "First and foremost, however, our concern is with Stephane, and his health and career. We wish him the best in his recovery and look forward to seeing him playing at the Expo as soon as possible."

Camby had 14 rebounds to go with five points and three blocks in 36 minutes. Forbes came off the bench for four points and two rebounds in 17 minutes.

Forbes, once an unlikely candidate to even make the roster, was asked if felt like he was the Nuggets' secret weapon. He smiled.

"I like it," Forbes said. "Keep me out of the scouting report."

As for what he's been able to accomplish early this season, including a career-high 19 points against the Knicks, Forbes said he's not surprised.

"No," he said. "I'm a real confident person. I always had it in the back of my head that I can play at this level, and I'm getting a blessed opportunity to show it."

On almost any other team, linebacker Mike Mele would be a star. The Syracuse transfer is fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association with 9.9 tackles per game and has made 43 in the last three weeks.

But Mele, a senior who has started every game this season at middle linebacker for the University of Massachusetts, has been overshadowed this season by teammate and fellow linebacker Tyler Holmes.

This weekend's Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off is expected to bring $1.2 million in economic activity to the region along with a lot of thrilling basketball action.

The men's college basketball tournament will feature 12 teams, including local favorites UMass, Springfield College and American International College, and national powerhouses such as the University of Southern California and Texas Christian University for 10 games over three days starting at the MassMutual Center on Saturday afternoon.

"His ankle swelled up and he was having some major pain afterward," said UMass coach Derek Kellogg, who wanted to be cautious. "It's early in the season. We need him to be healthy to do anything special this season

Sacred Heart suffered a 69-51 loss To Fordham last night at Rose Hill Gym and is now 0-2 on the season.

IN THE NFL

Events a slam-dunk for Pioneer Valley economy The Tip Off returns to Springfield this coming weekend - Saturday, Sunday and Monday - and will feature an expanded format that will see 12 teams play 10 games over a three day period at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield.

The greatest college basketball comeback I ever saw was crafted by the University of Massachusetts on Jan. 27, 1995.

In the last 4 minutes and 48 minutes of regulation at West Virginia, the Minutemen erased an 18-point deficit to win 97-94 in overtime. But coaches live in the present, and Derek Kellogg, who played in that game, did not refer to it when asked to recall a night similar to Friday's amazing opener.

"To have never seen something like this, and be a part of it ...,'' Kellogg said after his team had wiped out a 22-point second half deficit in a 77-67 win over Rider. "The message is clear. We're going to compete. We're not quitters.''

Former UMass hockey standout Greg Mauldin scored his first career NHL goal on Friday night after being recalled to the Colorado Avalanche from the Lake Erie Monsters. The opponent, none other than the team that originally drafted Mauldin - the Columbus Blue Jackets. Here is the box score which includes video highlights.

Mauldin's Impact

Talk about making an immediate impact.

On just his seventh shift in an Avalanche uniform, forward Greg Mauldin scored a short-handed goal during the second period of Friday night's 5-1 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It was a sweet moment for Mauldin, who netted his first National Hockey League tally against the team with which he began his professional career. Mauldin was originally a seventh-round selection of the Blue Jackets in the 2003 Entry Draft.

Recalled from the Lake Erie Monsters on Thursday in the wake of recent injuries to forwards T.J. Galiardi and David Van Der Gulik, Mauldin played on the Avalanche's fourth line during his debut alongside Philippe Dupuis and Cody McLeod. He also saw some time on the penalty kill, which is where he made his biggest contribution Friday night.

A tough loss for the Minutemen last night at No. 8 New Hampshire, 3-0. Both the first and third periods were scoreless, but the Wildcats cashed in on three straight power plays in the second period. The two teams will play again tonight in the Whittemore Center at 7 PM.

MassLive.com: Massachusetts falls to New Hampshire in Hockey East
Daily Hampshire Gazette: UNH powers past UMass hockey
SeacoastOnline.com: Power boost sparks UNH past UMass 3-0
Union Leader: Power plays, goaltending lift UNH hockey
Fosters Daily Democrat: UNH powers up in second, beats UMass
USCHO.com: New Hampshire blanks Massachusetts

Former UMass standout Greg Mauldin has been recalled by the Colorado Avalanche from the Lake Erie Monsters. The Avalanche will face Columbus tonight at 5 PM - no word yet on if Mauldin will be in the line-up.

As the Minutemen are in the midst of their pregame skate this Friday morning, here is a look at several previews for tonight's game at New Hampshire (7 PM). The two teams will also play tomorrow night (7 PM) to close out the weekend series. Both games are at the Whittemore Center.

Daily Collegian: Minutemen looking to turn around season

Daily Collegian: UNH stands in the way of UMass' first win

MassLive.com: UMass hockey happenings: Doubling up in Durham

Fosters Daily Democrat: UNH hockey to face hungry Minutemen

SeaCoastOnline.com: UNH hungry for home cooking

ConcordMonitor.com: 'Cats Show Depth In Early Going

USCHO.com: UNH's DiGirolamo A Blast From The Past For Umile

Anthony Gurley thinks the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team is going to be good this year. After finishing 12-20 last year, the senior guard is excited about that possibility.

But as the Minutemen get set to open the 2010-11 season tonight against Rider at 7:30 p.m. at the Mullins Center, Gurley is wise enough to know that his optimism doesn't make him any different than almost every other Division I basketball player on the eve of the start of the season.

"Everybody thinks they're good at this time of year. Everyone feels like they can do something," he said. "We're anxious to get in a real game and see where we stand."

"Delaware is leading the league in wins, so if we play well then we'll be rewarded," said UMass coach Kevin Morris. "Their run-and-pass combination is real strong and their quarterback (Pat Devlin) will probably be the player of the year based on his play so far. Defensively, they've played consistently well."

Even UMass coach Derek Kellogg concedes he does not know entirely what to expect. With youth comes high upside, but also unpredictability, which makes this Minutemen team hard to label.

"In practice, we are looking like a team. I don't know if we'll play like a team,'' Kellogg said.

With a win already over the No. 1 team in one poll, the UMass will try to knock off the top team in the other when it hosts Delaware on Saturday. The Blue Hens ascended to No. 1 in the FCS Coaches Poll Monday after the top three teams all lost last week. Delaware is No. 2 behind William & Mary in the Sports Network top 25. The Minutemen upset W&M, 27-23, in the first game of the season.

The Daily Collegian has a preview of the basketball game.

A year ago, the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team tipped off its season in Florida. The Minutemen played in North Carolina, Texas and three times in New Jersey during their nonconference schedule.

If you added the distance the Minutemen will travel to all of their nonconference games this year, you'd barely reach Atlantic City. The Minutemen won't get on a plane once before Atlantic 10 play. They don't leave New England and aren't scheduled to face anyone ranked in the top 25 during their 14-game nonconference schedule. They only leave the 413 area code three times.

"We are pleased to have Gary back in the Angels' family," said Angels GM Tony Reagins in a club release. "He brings a level of expertise and passion that will be critical to the advancement of the baseball operations department."

DiSarcina was in the Red Sox's farm system the past four seasons. He was manager for Class A Lowell for three years, and last year he was the Red Sox's Minor League infield coordinator.

Read more on DiSarcina's return to the Angels organization: MLB.com, ESPN, OCRegister

"When we decided to go to different schools we talked about it. We knew we were going to play each other," Chad said. "It's been a big week for us. In our town everyone is talking about it. It's a little different. We've always been together. But at the same time its good for us. I'm definitely glad the game is here. When it's over it's going to be bad for one of us. ... Hopefully him."

"I'm trying to get used to calling him Coach all the time," the University of Massachusetts men's basketball guard said of his coach.

Barbee has a track record as an assistant for successful programs like alma mater UMass, where he played and coached under Calipari. He also spent six seasons with the current Kentucky coach at Memphis. Calipari says Barbee is "like a son," and predicts he'll have success at Auburn even if it doesn't happen immediately.

Just about a year ago, the Rider University men's basketball team was about to win one of the biggest games in school history, which went on to destroy its season.

Rider's upset of Top 20 Mississippi State in Starkville on opening night set expectations for the season out of control. After a home win over Lehigh, the Broncs were getting votes in the AP Top 25 and were on the road at Virginia, where a win wouldn't have even been considered much of an upset.

"It's not going to be an easy season," the redshirt senior said. "We know what we have to work on. We've definitely got to continue to get better on the defensive end, rebounding the basketball, and just fine-tuning everything. "We've just got to keep our confidence and make sure we play as hard as we can every single time we step on the floor."

The accolades keep rolling in. Holmes appreciates them, but otherwise lets them roll off his back.

"I'm thankful, I'm grateful. But at the end of the day, all that matters is whether we won or lost,'' the University of Massachusetts junior linebacker said.

Almost every player speaks those words, but an iindisputable sincerity accompanies the words of Holmes, whose team is on the cusp of a playoff berth.

UMass fans have heard about Putney's athleticism since he arrived in Amherst, but because he redshirted last year in attempt to get stronger and put on weight, they've rarely had a chance to see it, until last Thursday.

"Putney, even though he's very skinny, is a world-class athlete who does some good things out there with his length and his athleticism," UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. "If we can put some weight on him, if we can get him to mature and become a grown man, I think he has a chance to be a special player at UMass."

"It just gave me more confidence," Lasme said of his training camp experience with Boston. "I know I can play in the NBA. I'm just waiting for the chance to get in. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing, just keep working hard, keep working on my game, keep getting better and try to get my team better and win some games."

Here's the story:

When things started getting bad for Denver on Tuesday night, a fan screamed toward the Nuggets' bench: "Better put Forbes back in!" Gary Forbes, the free-agent invitee who was signed by the team, has been superb in spurts for the Nuggets, and in Tuesday's loss he scored 16 points in 21 minutes. In the first half, he had 11 points in just nine minutes.

"We went small, and at that time we weren't getting anything done with our big guys offensively, so I kind of took a risk," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "For a while, it worked."

On the night, the 6-foot-7 guard/forward also had two rebounds and two assists, one of the few bright spots on an otherwise miserable night.

"I'm at a position where minutes are very scarce," Forbes said, "so I got to take full advantage of the minutes out there on the court. I was able to do that today. I'm just trying to gain the coach's trust to play more minutes."

Forbes previously scored 12 points in 24 minutes in a home game against Dallas last week.

Havens is a San Francisco Giants fan and a northern California native, where facial hair growth was a full-fledged fad in the Bay Area during the World Series in homage to Giants' closer Brian Wilson.

"College hasn't always been easy for me,'' the 6-foot-3 guard said, his eyes trained on the Mullins Center floor before practice. "But everybody here is working hard, and I definitely see improvement. I just want to end my career on a good note.''

The complete story can be found in the Springfield Republican.

This week's UMass foe Delaware is No. 1 in the Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the Sports Network Poll.

From the CAA William & Mary is No. 1 in the Sports Network Poll and No. 2 in the FCS Coaches Poll. UMass opened the year with a 27-23 win over the Tribe.

Also from the CAA, Villanova is 9th, New Hampshire is 17th and Richmond is 21st.

"They kept throwing the ball to the flat, so I wanted to get in good position. I read off the quarterback's intention and made a good break on the ball. I was surprised, especially on the first one," said Holmes, who joined Jerard White (1996-99) and Anton McKenzie (2000-03) as the only UMass players to have two interception returns for TDs in a career. "The second one, I was kind of the free player in the zone, reading off the quarterback's eyes and got a good jump on the ball. It provided great momentum and tremendous energy for my team.

In The NFL:

It won't be just a men's basketball season, it will be an adventure.

"I've got to be crystal clear with these guys about what I expect,'' Kellogg said. "We're not very physical, but we use our length well. We'll be better on defense this year, and better at rebounding.''

The season begins Friday night against Rider at the Mullins Center. This will be one of four November games under the umbrella of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament, which will resume the following week in Springfield.

"This is the first year where everything is in place," Kellogg said. "We don't have to re-teach everything from Day One. You'll see that things will start moving in the right direction."

The Massachusetts field hockey team knows the position of the underdog tournament host. It was in that position just last season when it hosted No. 1 seed Richmond. Read the full preview in the Daily Coellgian.

In the more than 100-year-old football rivalry between the Universities of Massachusetts and Maine, the Minutemen have held a comfortable advantage. They'll take a 40-15-1 series lead into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game at McGuirk Stadium.

But the last two meetings between the New England rivals have been sore spots for the Minutemen.

"One gave us the play that ignited us, the other gave us the game-finisher,'' coach Kevin Morris said as UMass got ready for Saturday's home game against Maine. "There's a lot of pressure back there, and at times this year, they've been exposed. But they keep plugging away, trying to figure out the college game, and they're getting better.''

There is no cash admission, but fans can enter by donating two cans of non-perishable food or a meal. Donations will benefit The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. The players are doing their best to drum up support for a team without identifiable stars, but convinced it can improve on last year's 12-20 record with a collective effort.

They have even gone door-to-door, delivering tickets to season-ticket holders and meeting their fans face-to-face. 

Read the full story