2026-27 Season

[MikeUMA]

This years UMass team is not one that I can really follow. This in not the normal/usual team just a bunch of foreigners brought in to play for UMass. Very disappointing for me who has followed the team since 1969. There should not be more than 2 foreign players on the team at any time.

I don't care if they're from Mars. Can they help us get a damn league title? That's really all I want right now.

[Juice Stand]

This years UMass team is not one that I can really follow. This in not the normal/usual team just a bunch of foreigners brought in to play for UMass. Very disappointing for me who has followed the team since 1969. There should not be more than 2 foreign players on the team at any time.

This years UMass team is not one that I can really follow. This in not the normal/usual team just a bunch of (transfers) brought in to play for UMass. Very disappointing for me who has followed the team since 1969. There should not be more than 2 (portal/transfer) players on the team at any time.

I was with you until the hook. Made a slight tweak. Too many foreigners? C’mon, dude. I have followed this program a long time, too, and have steadily lost interest to the point where I doubt I will follow much anyone. That is a BIG deal in my life. It’s pretty crushing to see how badly we’ve fallen. But it is not the foreigners that have made this less interesting. It is the shitty conference, the turnover, the poor coaching, the inept AD, the NIL disaster, the awful scheduling, and the utter lack of imagination and vision. I guess blaming the foreigners is what we do these days. I’ll take 10 Stephan Lasme’s over most any of these bland and uncommitted dudes we’ve had these last several years.

A Portal/Transfer number of not more than 2 is impossible in today's game. No kid in a mid major school is gonna stay if they can move up in weight class (and pay grade). You are guaranteed to lose at least 5 or 6 guys every year to transfer and you cannot just keep rolling in that many Freshmen Recruits to take their place. If Frank continues to act like he has, he is probably gonna lose 7 or 8 every year - he is an abusive asshole and with unlimited transfer ability, no kid with any chance of getting picked up by another school is gonna want to endure that for more than 1 year if they don't have to.

I am all for the tough love thing, but that is not what Frank does to these kids and his coaches...

I agree with the overall sentiment, but we actually have a low number of transfer (in/out) compared to recent years. Three transfers in (Jordan Clayton, Barry Wang, Ahmed Abdullah) and four transfers out, none of which were contributors besides K'Jei (K'Jei Parker, Donovan Brown, Bilal Osman, CJ Outlaw).

But yes, pretty much all of the above is correct. It's not the international players that are killing UMass basketball or fan interest.

[69MG]

Another lawsuit in the 5 for 5 saga. How great would it be if we could get another year out of Banks (not likely and we may not have any NIL money left to distribute). Also, Donovan Brown is still looking for a home. I thought he would do more than he did last year.


https://x.com/GoodmanHoops/status/2082876563079549119

[Floyd]

It is really hard to tell anything at this point even if you see practices ..... We are not recruiting at the same level anymore (not that we recruited at a higher level any better anyways) so seeing tape and drawing opinions ("Oooh, that kid can play") is mostly meaningless until they strap it on against another teams.

I almost don't want to know anything about these guys in the preseason outside of making sure they can at least walk and chew gum simultaneously. I am being a little facetious, but we really will not know anything relevant until 4 or 5 games into the season.

I hear ya, and probably agree, but at this point in the offseason I just want good vibes and we're not even getting that. Tell me that Wimbley looks like he's leveled up, or Clerc has swapped body fat for lean muscle and looks more athletic, or this freshman is going to surprise people or that transfer looks like an all-league player. I want them to give me something to be hopeful about, even if it ends up being more of the same.

Juice, the program hasn't been promoted well for a while, probably since DK. Never hear anything about the team

[Floyd]

This years UMass team is not one that I can really follow. This in not the normal/usual team just a bunch of foreigners brought in to play for UMass. Very disappointing for me who has followed the team since 1969. There should not be more than 2 foreign players on the team at any time.

Its a new world Berky. I dont care where they're from if they can play and WANT to come to UMass.

[UMassFan99]

This years UMass team is not one that I can really follow. This in not the normal/usual team just a bunch of foreigners brought in to play for UMass. Very disappointing for me who has followed the team since 1969. There should not be more than 2 foreign players on the team at any time.

I don't care if they're from Mars. Can they help us get a damn league title? That's really all I want right now.

Seconded

[TheInsider]

4 out of the 5 guys that made 1st team all NBA are foreign born.

[bobolink]

Another lawsuit in the 5 for 5 saga. How great would it be if we could get another year out of Banks (not likely and we may not have any NIL money left to distribute). Also, Donovan Brown is still looking for a home. I thought he would do more than he did last year.


https://x.com/GoodmanHoops/status/2082876563079549119

So players in Texas, N. Carolina, California and Ohio get a 5th year. The rest of the country may follow, but others don't want to file suit until it's too late to appeal, although they have to be careful that the player is enrolled when the school year starts. Some coaches who, perhaps accidentally, left a roster spot open and/or have some $ left could look smart now. or lucky. Almost certainly nothing for UMass here, except some opponents may be tougher. I noted 3 MAC guys in the suits. Evan Mahaffey is back enrolled and practicing with Akron, after playing 137 games in the past 4 seasons.

[Uminuteman]

Whatever. College hoops is a joke/mess. Ex Pros playing (we got one), 5 years of playing, move around at will (don't players still have to be accepted at the "institution"?). You get guys like Peterson at Kansas half-ass it through the season just to get to the draft. I never thought this before, but the NBA is more enjoyable to watch now.

[69MG]

I didn't realize that anybody was forced to buy STs.

Come on Jack. They're a division 1 program, and I expect them to play other division 1 programs. Burying a Division 3 scrimmage on a Monday afternoon at full price is lame, no matter how you slice it.

I just checked the schedule and all 5 non-conference home games are at 7:00, including UMass Boston.

[Juice Stand]

^Thanks for that, 69. Still a pointless scrimmage in what has been reduced to a 10-game out of conference schedule. Since they brought the ticket transfer option back, maybe I can move those tickets to other games. That's my last note on the UMB game, well, probably until they play it and I get irrationally angry again.

[Juice Stand]

Ok, screw it, I'm excited again. This is what I was talking about. A little hype, a little optimism. Summer time is for sipping kool aid:
https://gazettenet.com/2026/08/04/umass ... r-session/

[stevemaz]

Ok, screw it, I'm excited again. This is what I was talking about. A little hype, a little optimism. Summer time is for sipping kool aid:
https://gazettenet.com/2026/08/04/umass ... r-session/

I think they are going to be sneaky good. could win 25

[69MG]

Ok, screw it, I'm excited again. This is what I was talking about. A little hype, a little optimism. Summer time is for sipping kool aid:
https://gazettenet.com/2026/08/04/umass ... r-session/

I was hoping for info on more than just a couple of players but so far we have heard nothing, so I'll take what I can get. I hope they do additional stories - keep 'em coming.

As a response to Steve, how close will they come to 25 wins? I'd love it but that is a Pipe Dream!

[minutefanjsf]

Ok, screw it, I'm excited again. This is what I was talking about. A little hype, a little optimism. Summer time is for sipping kool aid:
https://gazettenet.com/2026/08/04/umass ... r-session/

I was hoping for info on more than just a couple of players but so far we have heard nothing, so I'll take what I can get. I hope they do additional stories - keep 'em coming.

As a response to Steve, how close will they come to 25 wins? I'd love it but that is a Pipe Dream!

Including the MAC tourney it is possible. They could win 7 of 10 OOC games and go 16-6 in conference, toss in two wins in the MAC tourney? I think 22 is more realistic and should be the goal.