UMass Wins Triple Overtime Thriller Behind Record-Setting Diggins Performance

BRONX, N.Y. -- Massachusetts basketball (7-11, 2-3 A-10) won a triple overtime thriller, 120-118, at Fordham (8-10, 0-5) on Wednesday night at Rose Hill Gymnasium. It is the first triple overtime game for Massachusetts since Jan. 8, 2005 against Xavier.

Fought for 55 minutes!!!

Minutemen claim a marathon triple OT ?? on the back of a program record 46 points from Rahsool Diggins#Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/CoHUJfh9RQ
— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassMBB) January 16, 2025

The 120 points tied for the highest total in program history, while Rahsool Diggins finished with a program-record 46 points. Diggins' 46 points also ties for the eighth best single-game total in Atlantic 10 history and it marked the most points by a visiting player at Rose Hill Gymnasium, surpassing all-time UMass great Julius Erving's 37-point performance on January 21, 1970. The performance tied for the most points ever scored at the facility, tying Kenny Charles just one day shy of Rose Hill Gym's 100 anniversary mark.

????????????. ????????????.@RahsoolDiggins3 etches his name in the history books with a program best 46 points tonight at Fordham!!#Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/tgyRI4UaA2
— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassMBB) January 16, 2025

The Minutemen led for most of regulation, holding a 12-point lead with just over 10 minutes to play. The Rams stormed back late in the second period, going on a thunderous 21-9 run to even the game at 66-66 with five minutes to play. Fordham's Jackie Johnson III scored four points over final 97 seconds of regulation to give the Rams a 79-77 lead with 24 seconds on the clock. Marqui Worthy drained a corner three with seven seconds left in regulation to tie it at 79-79 and send the game to overtime.

https://t.co/tMfG2MkhJS pic.twitter.com/zllVR2spWo
— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassMBB) January 16, 2025

In overtime, Diggins hit a free throw to put UMass up, 98-95, with one second left. But the Rams were fouled on the halfcourt heave and Romad Dean sent the game to a second overtime by making all three of his free throws.

With 11 seconds left in the second overtime, Akil Watson made one-of-two from the line for UMass, tying it at 108-108 and sending the game to a third overtime.

Massachusetts faced a 5-point deficit in the third overtime, requiring nine combined points from Diggins and Rivera to even the game at 118-118 with 46 seconds to play. Daniel Rivera's layup with 10 seconds remaining in the third overtime proved to be the game-winning basket as he finished with 29 points to tie his career high.

Record Setters

3: The night marked the first triple overtime game in Rose Hill Gym history.
8: Diggins tied his own single-game program record for three-pointers made with eight, matching Carl Pierre for the second time this season.
8: Diggins point total also ties for the eighth best single-game total in Atlantic 10 history, matching Duquesne's Aaron Jackson who scored 46 in March of 2009 vs. Virginia Tech.
46: Diggins set a new single-game program record with 46 points. The total tied Fordham's Kenny Charles for the most points ever scored at Rose Hill Gym.
61: The Minutemen recorded 60-plus rebounds in a game for the first time since Feb. 11, 2010 vs. Duquesne
100: The record setting night occurred just one day shy of Rose Hill Gymnasium's 100 year anniversary.
120: The Minutemen tied the program record with 120 points, it is the third time and first since Jan. 8, 1965 vs. Vermont. It is also the most points ever scored by a visiting team at Rose Hill Gymnasium, surpassing 114 by Boston College on Feb. 4, 1978. The total marks the most points scored by UMass in a true road matchup passing the 114 tallied at Rutgers on Feb. 27, 1988 in another triple overtime matchup.
238: The combined points by both teams set a Massachusetts, Fordham and Rose Hill Gym record.

Newcomer Notifications

Seven newcomers saw action on the evening, with Rivera and Abdelgowad entering as starters.
Daniel Rivera tied his career-high with 29 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field.
Akil Watson played a career-high 29 minutes, recording nine points and eight rebounds.
Nate Guerengomba scored seven points while hauling in six rebounds on 21 minutes of action.
Shahid Muhammad tallied three points and three blocks in 15 minutes.
Abdelgowad played 11 minutes, grabbing four rebounds.
Doumbia nabbed five rebounds in just five minutes on the court.

Numbers To Know

5: Five different Minutemen recorded five-plus rebounds on the night.
9: Nine players fouled out between both teams.
12: The Minutemen tallied 12 blocks with Rivera and Muhammad each recording three.
14: Massachusetts has now recorded 30 or more points in the paint in 14 games this season.
17: Massachusetts forced 15 turnovers on the night.
24: The Minuteman sunk 37 free throws, with both teams combining for 85 made.
46: The Minutemen totaled 46 points in the paint.
48: Rivera played 48 minutes on the night.
49: Diggins tallied 49 minutes in the matchup.
57: Massachusetts attempted 57 free throws, marking the first time they have attempted 50 or more since they shot 50 vs. Arkansas on Nov. 25, 1994.
61: Massachusetts grabbed 61 total rebounds.
122: The two teams combined for 122 free throw attempts.

Series History

With the result, Massachusetts now holds a 35-19 record against the Rams all-time.
Massachusetts is now 19-22 in A-10 play and 9-17 on the road with Coach Martin at the helm.

Up Next

The Minutemen return home to challenge La Salle on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Mullins Center. The game will be broadcast on USA Network with live updates and links available at umassathletics.com or @UMassMBB on X (Twitter).

Scoreboard