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The Massachusetts men's basketball team held an open practice for the media yesterday as it prepares for the start of the season.
Like many coaches at this point in the season, UMass coach Derek Kellogg feels the team isn't quite ready to play at the level that brought the Minutemen to the final game National Invitation Tournament in 2007-08..
UMass won't have its first regular season action until the game against Arkansas-Monticello on Nov. 11. Kellogg is still pleased with his team's effort in practice as it has increased the level of intensity as it comes closer to the opening of the regular season. He keeps practices competitive by having almost every drill tied to a game, where the loser runs.
Yesterday's session was devoted to executing the new offense that Kellogg is bringing from his previous assistant coaching job at Memphis, the dribble-drive motion.
Kellogg emphasized running the offense at a faster place by asking all of his players to go at full speed in every drill. The tempo will mainly be dictated by point guard Chris Lowe.
Last season the Minutemen ran a similar up-tempo offense with former coach Travis Ford, but Kellogg's style will require even more from his point guard. Lowe believes that the style of play will be more beneficial for him because it allows him to play his style.
"It helps my game even better because my game is getting to the basket and getting fouled," Lowe said. "Everything about this offense is about getting to the rack and hitting open threes."
Kellogg made it a priority as soon as he was hired to bring the program back to the national spotlight. Recruiting is part of what he plans to do to make UMass a national program.
This off-season, the Minutemen brought in transfers Sean Carter, Hashim Bailey and Doug Wiggins. Kellogg prefers to bring in freshmen as they are better long term.
Lowe believes that Kellogg's offense will make UMass an attractive school for potential recruits.
"He won't hold back anybody's skills and that's why a lot of kids are going to come here," Lowe said.
Kellogg expects the guards to get most of the scoring, although the offense doesn't necessarily prevent big men from getting shots as well. However, with a lack of depth in the front court, he won't have much of a choice this season.
UMass will look at Lowe, redshirt sophomore Anthony Gurley and junior Ricky Harris to take on the bulk of the scoring responsibilities.
The big men are going to be asked to take on more of the rebounding effort than they have in the past. Forward Tony Gaffney and center Luke Bonner will play the bulk of the minutes for the Minutemen in the front court.
Gaffney averaged 4.8 rebounds a game last season while Bonner averaged 2.5. But without the depth that UMass had last season with Dante Milligan and Etienne Brower sharing the rebounding duties, the redshirt seniors will have no choice but to step up.
"They've been very good players in practice. They're going to have every opportunity to step forward and make names for themselves," Kellogg said. "If one guy could put up double-digits [in rebounding] and the other came close to [double-digits] that would be great."
Kellogg has increased the number of rebounding drills that the Minutemen are used to seeing in the past. He has emphasized using their feet and grabbing the ball with both hands rather than trying to shove the opponent out of the way.
"We've done more rebounding drills than a seventh grade basketball team," Kellogg said.
Adam Miller can be reached at ajmil0@student.umass.edu.
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