UMass

As he comes to the Prudential Center Monday night for a nonconference game with Bobby Gonzalez and Seton Hall, UMass coach Derek Kellogg is very high on two Pirates whom he recruited while an assistant to John Calipari at Memphis. Kellogg recruited Seton Hall forward Herb Pope out of high school, but Pope ultimately landed at New Mexico State before transferring to the Big East … [Read more...] about UMass Coach High On SHU’s Pope, Robinson

Onetime Seton Hall recruit Jesse “The Takeover” Morgan has enrolled early in school. But it’s not Seton Hall. “He’s at UMass,” Fred Snead, Morgan’s Godfather and coach, said by phone. “Yes, he is at UMass,” confirmed a source close to the UMass basketball program. The 6-foot-5, 175-pound Morgan, out of Philadelphia Olney, signed a Letter of Intent with Seton Hall in the fall … [Read more...] about Morgan Enrolls Early…at UMass

**Photos courtesy Lonnie Webb Photography** GREENBURGH, N.Y. — JayVaughn Pinkston spent part of last summer cooped up in a classroom at Bishop Loughlin High School while his friends were out playing summer ball. He didn’t want to do it, but he had to in order to get his academics right. “I felt that it was important for me to get my grades up,” the Villanova-bound Pinkston … [Read more...] about Pinkston Set to Graduate & Head to ‘Nova; Kadeem Jack to Visit West Virginia; Chaz Williams Sets Visits

Just a few days after landing Western Kentucky transfer Derrick Gordon, UMass coach Derek Kellogg landed a commitment from 7-foot-2, 215-pound Isaac Freeman of South Kent (Conn.). Freeman, who averaged 14.7 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 7.5 blocks last season at Osbourn High (Va.), before transferring to South Kent, chose UMass over DePaul, Drexel and UCF. “What made me choose … [Read more...] about 7-foot-2 Isaac Freeman to UMass

Derrick Gordon visited a trio of Atlantic 10 schools and then chose one. The 6-foot-2 former Western Kentucky guard Tweeted Friday that he picked UMass over St. Joe’s and Rhode Island. The former St. Patrick standout averaged 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. He must sit a year per NCAA transfer regulations. “THIS WAS A LONG AND HARD DECISION FOR ME…BUT NOW IT’S OVER…IT’S OFFICIAL … [Read more...] about Derrick Gordon to UMass

By JOSH NEWMAN Special to ZAGSBLOG NEW YORK – UMass, which has not been to an NCAA Tournament since 1998, was right there on Saturday afternoon in a 71-62 Atlantic 10 semifinal loss to Virginia Commonwealth. Trailing the entire second half, the Minutemen hung tough, chipped away at a deficit that reached as many as 10 and had opportunities to at least tie the game, but in the … [Read more...] about Squarely On the Bubble, UMass Forced to Wait and See

Former West Virginia guard Jabarie Hinds is on the move. The 5-foot-11 Mount Vernon, N.Y., native is headed to UMass over St. Joe’s. “I gained a good relationship with coach [Derek] Kellogg and I felt that’s the best place for me,” Hinds told SNY.tv. He is also friendly with Chaz Williams of Brooklyn and Derrick Gordon of Plainfield, N.J. Hinds averaged 7.4 points and 1.6 … [Read more...] about Jabarie Hinds to UMass

By ADAM ZAGORIA & DENNIS CHAMBERS LIU Brooklyn will introduce former UMass head coach Derek Kellogg as their new basketball coach during an 11 a.m. press conference on Tuesday, sources tell ZAGSBLOG. The school announced the press conference Monday night after ZAGSBLOG earlier reported the Kellogg hire. Derek Kellogg will be the next coach at LIU, sources say. — Adam … [Read more...] about LIU Brooklyn to Introduce Derek Kellogg As Next Head Coach

UMass redshirt sophomore guard Derrick Gordon has made history by coming out as the first openly gay male college basketball player. Gordon, a Plainfield, N.J., native whose time at St. Patrick High School in New Jersey alongside NBA players Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was documented in the film “Prayer For a Perfect Season,“ made the landmark announcement on ESPN … [Read more...] about UMass Guard Derrick Gordon Comes Out as First Openly Gay Male College Basketball Player