Feb. 24, 2008

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes |  AP Action Photos   | Coach Travis Ford's Post-game interview after the SBU game  | Matt Glass Post-game interview   | Matt Goldstein reviews the highlights and stats from the SBU game. 

AMHERST, Mass. - Four Minutemen scored in double-figures, led by Gary Forbes' double-double (18 points, 16 rebounds) as UMass (18-9, 7-6 A-10) posted its largest conference victory of the season, defeating St. Bonaventure (7-19, 1-11 A-10), 79-56, on Sunday afternoon at the Mullins Center. Matt Glass set a career-high with 14 points, hitting four 3-pointers, while Ricky Harris added 14. Atlantic 10 Player of the Week Chris Lowe added 11 points and seven assists for the Minutemen. Dante Milligan just missed a double-double with nine points and nine boards. The Bonnies were led by Michael Lee with 15 points.

With the score tied, 4-4, four minutes into the game, the Minutemen used a 15-2 run over a 4:07 span, highlighted by seven-straight points by Milligan, to open up a 19-6 lead with 11:16 left. UMass would later go on a 9-0 run, capped off by a Gary Correia 3-pointer, to take a 32-15 lead with 4:19 remaining. A pair of 3-pointers by Forbes in the closing 1:42, including one at the buzzer, sent UMass into halftime with a 40-21 lead. It was the Minutemen's fewest points allowed in a half this season.

Forbes almost registered a double-double in the first half for the second time this season, with 12 points and nine rebounds, and Milligan added nine points and six boards. The Minutemen outshot the Bonnies, 42.4% (14-33) to 33.3% (9-27), over the first 20 minutes and held a 23-16 edge on the glass.

St. Bonaventure opened the second half with a 21-8 run to pull within six, 48-42, with 11:37 remaining, as UMass missed nine of its first 11 shots. The Minutemen responded with a 13-3 stretch, capped off by a Glass 3-pointer, to give UMass a 61-45 lead with 6:40 remaining. Glass went on to hit 3-pointers at the 3:55 and 3:03 marks, as UMass' lead reached 18, 69-51. A Harris dunk with 1:12 left gave UMass a 20-point lead, 76-56, as the Minutemen held the Bonnies scoreless over the final 2:06.

The Minutemen return to action on Saturday, March 1, traveling to Richmond to take on the Spiders in 7 p.m. tip.