Favorite Moment of 2011-2012 Season

jjw23 · Post by **jjw23** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 6:16 am

Well I wish this was something that would have been discussed after Thursday night's game (had we made it), but sadly things didn't pan out that way. Even though our team far exceeded expectations this year, the loss still stings. Anyways, I figure this thread is a good way to ease the pain and reflect back on a great season that the Minutemen had.

So what is your favorite moment from the season?

For me I would have to say the semi-final A-10 Tournament game in Atlantic City against St. Bonaventure. I drove down (5 hours one way) with a couple of my buddies to attend the game. Late in the second half UMass was down by 14 or so points. We came down the court hit a 3 and it was like a light switch turned on. We started making plays and came all the way back. I sat in the student section and it was going absolutely wild. You could just feel the energy that the guys had. Everyone knows that we ended up losing the game, but I think it had a tremendous impact on the players and fans which gave the Minutemen the momentum in the N.I.T. It also proved to all that these guys play with so much damn heart and give everything they got.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:56 am

The Putney dunk off of the through the legs pass from Chaz is #1. #2 is watching the Drexel game by myself at Cigar Masters in Worcester... just experiencing that with no one around you talking or yelling or anything was amazing.

Beating Temple in the A-10 tournament sticks out as well, as did the from half court alley-oop from Chaz to Putney.

I'm sure I'm missing a lot, but those are just a few that come to mind immediately.

umass2msu · Post by **umass2msu** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:10 am

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe it was the first A10 tourney game against Duquesne. Right from the opening tip, Putney won then ran down court and caught the alley-oop pass. That is number 1.
Then Davidson, cause that was the only game I could see in person. Then coming back against Drexel.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:12 am

^

You have it right. I knew I missed one! The opening tip alley oop was great!

Juice Stand · Post by **Juice Stand** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:14 am

Favorite live game: Home vs. St. Josephs after being down by 17 to gut it out and beat them, and of course two highlight dunks in that game. The Chaz to Putney dunk that was on sportscenter, and the half-court alley-oop from Chaz to Maxie.

Favorite tv/radio game: A-10 tournament game vs. Temple. That was incredibly hard fought by both sides.

cox'n · Post by **cox'n** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:52 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote:... with no one around you talking or yelling or anything ....

Sounds like the Cage circa 1983.

UM'12 · Post by **UM'12** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:54 am

I agree with everyone so far...all the games/plays listed were definitely the top ones of the year..the temple game in the A-10 tourney was the happiest i've been in my 4 years going to UMass and following this team (brought tears to my eyes), the X game was special because we hadn't beat them in awhile and Chaz put on an absolute show..the putney dunk against st joes was probably the best individual play, with the alley-oop to open the game against duquesne a close second. I've never been a part of a student section that was ignited with excitement the way it was when that alley-oop was thrown down seconds after the opening tip.

For me personally, I loved the Elon game in the cage. I hope they continue to hold atleast one game a year at the cage, even if its against a far inferior opponent. I went to both the Holy Cross and Elon games at the cage, and the atmosphere in that place is untouchable. Definitely one of the coolest venues I've ever been to in any sport. The Elon game was special for me because we had all been waiting for so long to see Chaz and the "new" style that DK kept talking about. Right off the bat it was evident that this was a completely different team from the past three years. I had a lot of fun at the Elon game, and it provided some foreshadowing for what was to come this season.

umass2msu · Post by **umass2msu** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:06 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote:^

You have it right. I knew I missed one! The opening tip alley oop was great!

I wonder how many teams will copy that play next year. I watch alot of college basketball and I've never seen a play like that.

CapeCodBruiser · Post by **CapeCodBruiser** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:22 am

I got up to the Mullins Center for the SLU game in January, LaSalle in February and Duquesne in March. Looking back now it is the Duquesne game that was the springboard to all the great stuff that happened over the last 3 weeks. That game was on a Tuesday night in the Winter but the crowd was fantastic. I will remember the student section really coming thru for us (except for soda bottle throwing guy) that evening. There was a special feeling in the Mullins Center that night that something great was happening with this team and we all saw it over the last 21 days. Another great thing about the Duquesne game on a personal note was that my 15 yr old daughter attended the contest with me and I think she is one step closer to picking UMass for school.

Marty Peretz · Post by **Marty Peretz** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:30 am

I'd have to say the Duquesne game stands out a lot. Just the energy we brought and what it did for our confidence/ability to close out games, a skill we then developed beautifully and which manifested itself in victories over Temple, Miss State, Seton Hall, and Drexel. Javorn's performance that day was particularly memorable. In terms of clutch-play, TV's three with like 6 minutes to go when we were down 5 was arguably the most clutch shot of the season.

Besides that, I had my most love for this team during the late comeback at Temple. Chaz' hustle and Freddie's late game off balanced threes to take it to OT were spectacular and it was immediately following our blow-out loss to Dayton. I admit to thinking we were kinda done with the season at that point, that we were doomed by fatigue. Our effort that night proved otherwise and served as a springboard for things to come. Best moment of the non-conference was definitely when Lou Roe was introduced at the Davidson game with about 12 minutes to go. It seemed like from that moment forward, the crowd was passionate and the guys fed off of the energy. You kind of knew that we might have something special here.

Mrbaseball220 · Post by **Mrbaseball220** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:52 am

For me it has more to do with a shift in the program, then one single "game" or "moment" I think the best part for me was the day that DK decided he was going to take charge of this program.

He decided he had learned from others enough and he was going to take charge of this ship and put his own stamp on it. He decided he was going to show young men what it is to play DK basketball. He showed them how to play with heart, desire, intensity, focus, passion and to have a never quite attitude. He showed them how to play like he did as a player. It was at this moment, this team took off and understood that a team is comprised of players who all have roles and work together to acheieve a greater goal. They understood a "brotherhood"

Today as this program stands I am 100% proud to say I am a UMass fan. Yes I was dissapointed with last nights loss, but not because this team or coaches had let me down, but rather because I now have to wait 6 months to see them play again. I am so excited about the momentum both locally and nationally that this team has built. After not having season tickets for the past 5 years, I am proud to say I will be getting atleast 4 for next year and possibly as many as 6.

The future is bright!

jjw23 · Post by **jjw23** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:07 pm

Some great responses guys

. I agree with most of you, I'm not so much upset because we lost last night but instead that I can't watch UMass Basketball for another 6 months

.

I always tell people the following: my favorite sports are the NFL, UMass Basketbal, and MLB. I was younger during UMass' Glory Days with Coach Cal, so I missed being involved with the team etc. Obviously a lot of fans (myself included) look back at those times and wish we were once again the super-power that we once were. I think it is this and the roller coaster ride of good and bad times that draws me in and makes me love UMass Basketball even more. Certainly one could root for a team like Kentucky, Duke, N. Carolina, UConn etc. but it doesn't have the same feeling because these teams are consistently good. I think riding through the bad times makes all of us greater fans.

One last remark. I graduated from UMass 2 years ago and this coming season will be my first time purchasing season tickets. I want to get 2 so that I can bring my friends to more games and have them love UMass Basketball like I do.

OutlawPete · Post by **OutlawPete** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:19 pm

I was fortunate enough to be at 18 of our games this season so I have a lot of favorite moments.

Off the top of my head I think I'd put beating Temple #1 followed closely by the Drexel comeback. In terms of a game, the Drexel comeback was perhaps more memorable, but beating Temple was special. It really had the feeling that we had won a championship. Also enjoyed the alley-oops, watching Chaz play, sitting with Jesse Morgan's friends and family at La Salle

, how into the team my family got (with no UMass connections except me), and just seeing the program take a huge step forward.

I graduate in December so I'm very happy that I got to experience postseason tournaments as a student. Can't wait to be at the NCAA next year (hopefully!) as an alum!

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:34 pm

jjw23 wrote:One last remark. I graduated from UMass 2 years ago and this coming season will be my first time purchasing season tickets. I want to get 2 so that I can bring my friends to more games and have them love UMass Basketball like I do.

Where the hell is the "Like" button on here?!?!?!?! This is what I like to see!!! Welcome aboard!

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:21 pm

ktabz16 wrote:i only make a few games but i'm seriously considering investing in season tickets for next year.

You can always jump in on mine (make mine a 3 or 4 pack). You'd have a guaranteed ticket whenever you could make it, the tickets wouldn't get wasted (either you selling/handing them to someone else or I doing that) and I'd get priority points (which would be more beneficial to me than you due to location and ability to go).

Just a thought!