KAEO Matt Cross

[MikeUMA]

Is Matt still part of that era that could get a 5th year because of COVID? He was a freshman in that messed up 2020-21 season. I think that's still the season that's eligible for that program.

Will be interesting to see what he does after this season. He could easily ball overseas if he wanted.

[umasscollective]

Is Matt still part of that era that could get a 5th year because of COVID? He was a freshman in that messed up 2020-21 season. I think that's still the season that's eligible for that program.

Will be interesting to see what he does after this season. He could easily ball overseas if he wanted.

Matt has another year of eligibility and he is our #1 priority to bring back.

He will have other opportunities.

Help here > https://checkout.stripe.com/c/pay/cs_li ... tmamgqJ3gl

[MakeMullinsGreatAgain]

Is Matt still part of that era that could get a 5th year because of COVID? He was a freshman in that messed up 2020-21 season. I think that's still the season that's eligible for that program.

Will be interesting to see what he does after this season. He could easily ball overseas if he wanted.

Matt has another year of eligibility and he is our #1 priority to bring back.

He will have other opportunities.

Help here > https://checkout.stripe.com/c/pay/cs_li ... tmamgqJ3gl

Since you guys have mentioned it on the board here and also tweeted about it I think its a fair ask - has Matt expressed interest to you guys in coming back for another year? I'm under the impression he is very comfortable here at UMass and playing for Frank so I don't see him leaving - provided Cal or someone like that don't give him $500K to come play for them - just curious what he has shared with you?

[inthescoop]

I'm under the impression that he really likes UMass, and UMass is already his 3rd school.. does he really want to play for a 4th school?

[Floyd]

I think this is the perfect place for him, and not just because I'm a UMass fan. He's a big piece of the team, a great leader on the floor, he's a Frank Martin tough player, it's his home state, and he's already bounced around. I really hope he's back just because he wants to be, not just for money. Create a legacy

[DoctorJ]

If we could get Cross and Cohen back and retain the guys getting minutes, we'd be in really nice shape for next season.

Really hoping things roll in our favor in conf and we win some hard fought close games and stay healthy. Going to need a clutch shooter for that. Get these guys to fight like an early Cal team with guys like Harper.

Wins will help retention.

BTW, the link above says expired. Please share a new link to support Matt Cross...

[MakeMullinsGreatAgain]

I just feel like if The Collective is putting out tweets about donating to keep Matt here and also posting links on this board - that Matt must have given them some indication he's coming back - and if he did do that and they are tweeting about it - he couldn't have told them in confidence or they would not be saying anything.

[umasscollective]

Across the board help and funds are needed.

Please consider getting involved. And if you’re already involved, consider increasing your commitment. It is essential to keep this young team together.

www.TheMassCollective.com/join

Questions? Feel free to email [email protected] or join one of our monthly member meetings this month, 1/9 and 1/30 at 7pm via Zoom.

[MikeUMA]

Cross took multiple beatings the other night vs Duquesne. Frank talked about it a bit in his postgame comments, about how Matt got evaluated for a possible concussion. (Apparently there wasn't any.)

We're on 2 games a week until a mini-bye at the very end of January. I'm a little concerned that the wear & tear is going to build up on Matt, even if his warrior mentality will fight through as much as humanly possible.

We need Josh to find it again, fast, so that defenders have another legit threat to pay attention to. In the last 2, with Josh being ineffective, the opposing D has been able to collapse on Matt.

[TheOFFSeason]

Cross took multiple beatings the other night vs Duquesne. Frank talked about it a bit in his postgame comments, about how Matt got evaluated for a possible concussion. (Apparently there wasn't any.)

We're on 2 games a week until a mini-bye at the very end of January. I'm a little concerned that the wear & tear is going to build up on Matt, even if his warrior mentality will fight through as much as humanly possible.

We need Josh to find it again, fast, so that defenders have another legit threat to pay attention to. In the last 2, with Josh being ineffective, the opposing D has been able to collapse on Matt.

My opinion is it is the opposite, the last 2 teams have focused so much on taking away Cohen that it allowed Cross to have a big game against Siena and a semi big game against Dukes while being out a bit with injury. During the DHC event there were almost no other teams playing so everyone got to see Cohen score big (they would also watch tape of other games most certainly) so they played him very physical and rarely doubled with his man so it was harder for him to catch it in the spots he was used to/wanted to.
Average or poor teams usually struggle when you take away their first option but, aside from the first 5 minutes against Siena, this team has found the other spots that they can consistently get good shots from. There is on court leadership on this team that I haven’t seen since the 90’s with the possible exception of Gaffney’s senior year…that makes a very big difference.

[Uminuteman]

Agree. Any team that plays Cohen 1-on-1, unless their big is an elite defender, will regret that decision. His footwork, touch and bulk are very difficult to stop without help. And when they help we have shown we can score from other places.

[tdmass]

Josh's problems the last 2 games are mainly him getting into early foul trouble. Don't think he'll be covering Holmes.

[Worcester_To_Amherst]

Josh's problems the last 2 games are mainly him getting into early foul trouble. Don't think he'll be covering Holmes.

I don't think he can cover Holmes haha. Love Cohen's game, but he might be the least explosive guy I've seen in a Umass uniform (I'm no UMass historian). He's a great athlete without being very athletic, but I think Holmes would blow by him.

[Juice Stand]

Consider this my Matt Cross appreciation and apology post. I don't know which thread the Matt Cross discussion first started when he decided to come here, but I remember opinions being split on him at the time: good enough to play in the ACC, sign him up! versus Third school in three years, I have my doubts.

I was in the second camp. I didn't know anything about the kid, but I assumed something was wrong if he was bouncing around this much. I also remember hearing an early interview with Frank where he talked about Cross' loyalty, which seemed absurd to me at the time because he was on his third school in three years. I was totally wrong, 100%, a complete ding-dong. Camby4Life jokingly posted in the former players thread about the Sean East vs Tre Mitchell matchup tonight, well you know I couldn't give a flying fart about that matchup. I'll take Matt Cross 10 times out of 10 over Tre Mitchell, and I liked Sean East, but he's no Cross.

I'm so glad he decided to come to UMass and play for his state school and Frank Martin. He's the hardest working player I can remember, and he's not just a dirt dog, he has the talent to back it up. I'm wishing him a healthy remainder of the season and keep up the damn good work.

[umasscollective]

Consider this my Matt Cross appreciation and apology post. I don't know which thread the Matt Cross discussion first started when he decided to come here, but I remember opinions being split on him at the time: good enough to play in the ACC, sign him up! versus Third school in three years, I have my doubts.

I was in the second camp. I didn't know anything about the kid, but I assumed something was wrong if he was bouncing around this much. I also remember hearing an early interview with Frank where he talked about Cross' loyalty, which seemed absurd to me at the time because he was on his third school in three years. I was totally wrong, 100%, a complete ding-dong. Camby4Life jokingly posted in the former players thread about the Sean East vs Tre Mitchell matchup tonight, well you know I couldn't give a flying fart about that matchup. I'll take Matt Cross 10 times out of 10 over Tre Mitchell, and I liked Sean East, but he's no Cross.

I'm so glad he decided to come to UMass and play for his state school and Frank Martin. He's the hardest working player I can remember, and he's not just a dirt dog, he has the talent to back it up. I'm wishing him a healthy remainder of the season and keep up the damn good work.

We just recorded a podcast with Matt Cross > https://www.podserve.fm/series/website/ ... 101/127424

It is ESSENTIAL to get involved with The Mass Co so we can RETAIN Matt and this young roster. ESSENTIAL.

www.TheMassCollective.com

Cannot stress this enough.