Tag Archives: Jasmine Watson

Mar 2 2013

Halftime thoughts: UMass 27, Xavier 24

 Timbilla in control: Rashida Timbilla played the strongest first half of her teammates in the penultimate game of her freshman campaign. Along with eight points, Timbilla has grabbed eight boards, four on other side of the ball. She is 3-of-8 from the field and added a pair from the line. Furthermore, her three assists also comprise half of the teams dimes and while on defense she has three steals. Her presence in the key on the boards has been a catalyst for the Minutewomen because of Jasmine Watson’s foul trouble.

Foul trouble for the Minutwomen: Jasmine Watson only registered eight minutes in the first twenty, having to come off with two fouls early on. Fortunately, Watson’s absence has not made it hard for the team with Timbilla stepping up and Emily Mital being able to find her shooting touch. Aisha Rodney has also offered up six points and three boards in the Watson’s place. Timbilla is also in trouble with two personal fouls of her own, however her level of play has forced UMass coach Sharon Dawley to keep her on the floor. Watson’s fellow senior teammate Dee Montgomery also has a pair of fouls

Jessica Pachko big for XU: Xavier closed out the half with 24 points, half of which came through their center Jessica Pachko. Her early frustrations resulted in a warning from the refs, but after a brief cooling off period on the bench Pachko has kept the Musketeers competitive in the game. With much of the teams offense running through her, the XU big has showcased her ability to cut sharply in the key to get to the hoop for easy lay ups, while also requiring a defender  down low to free up space in the zone.

Mar 2 2013

Pregame thoughts: UMass vs. Xavier

MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEWOMEN (3-25, 1-12 ATLANTIC 10) VS. XAVIER MUSKETEERS (12-15, 6-7 ATLANTIC 10)

GAME NOTES

  • Today is the final game of the season for UMass, which enters mired in a 12-game losing streak. The Minutewomen have never had much success against Xavier, but a win today would go a long way in erasing some of the bad memories from the season.
  • The Minutewomen have just two members of the 2013 senior class: Dee Montgomery and Jasmine Watson. They were honored with a lovely ceremony before the game. Watson even sang a lovely rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Feb 3 2013

Halftime thoughts: Temple 26, UMass 25

Cade Belisle/Collegian

Cade Belisle/Collegian

 

Timbilla’s board presence: With both teams struggling from the field rebounding has been key for both. Timbilla has taken seven down, with two on the offensive end. Add along her six points and Timbilla is putting  together a solid game, playing a majority of the first half. Her strength has been immense in settling the UMass defense and her size and length have quelled a number of Temple of attacks as she pulls in rebounds.

Shooters struggling: It hasn’t been a pretty game offensively. The Minutewomen have gone 11-of-34 from the field and Temple are no better at showing the Minutewomen up on their own court, shooting 9-of-33. Jasmine Watson has seen a pair of mid-range jumpers that have never been her shot go off target, while Cloutier’s 1-of-5 from three-point has left her with only two makes from six in the first half. Bomben has shone for the Minutewomen, dispatching three buckets from five including a half time buzzer-beater to bring the game within 1.

Temple taking threes: Three point shots has been the Owl’s main vehicle to scoring points. Shooting just over 30% on the year coming into the game, Temple has take 15 shots out of 33 from deep and sunk six of them. Tyonna Williams’ three makes have come from three, her only three field goals of the game. Rateska Brown is in the very same boat. With 18 of their 26 points in the game from the three point shot the Minutewomen will need to pressure the shooter when they come out of the locker room.

Jan 27 2013

Rapid reaction: Dayton 83, UMass 44

Bryn Rothschild-Shea/Collegian

Bryn Rothschild-Shea/Collegian

Out of their league: Admittedly, today’s outcome wasn’t really much of a surprise. On the road against a the No. 17 team in the nation, the Minutewomen had the deck stacked against them coming in. But today was especially disappointing for UMass. Committing 31 turnovers is unacceptable against any opponent. The Minutewomen were visibly browbeaten at times today, and it showed in their efforts getting after loose balls, boxing out, etc. UMass coach Sharon Dawley probably wants to tear her hair out after this final. This might just be one of those games when the coaching staff burns the game film and moves on.

Harris makes the most of it: On a day when no single player really distinguished themselves, freshman Jasmine Harris put together a nice little afternoon, scoring eight points (including a 3-point make) and grabbing five rebounds in only 15 minutes. She had another excellent look from three, as well, but it rimmed out.

Watson frustrated: Five fouls, six points, 17 minutes. That line says it all.

Up next: UMass heads back home now to host La Salle on Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. at the Mullins Center.

Jan 27 2013

Halftime thoughts: Dayton 41, UMass 17

Maria Uminski/Collegian

Maria Uminski/Collegian

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers: Stop me if you’ve heard this before this season, but UMass has struggled to put anything offensively whatsoever against Dayton in the first half due almost entirely to its penchant for turning the ball over. Four of the Minutewomen’s first five possession’s ended with a turnover, and the Flyers jumped out to a lead they haven’t come close to relinquishing. Nola Henry, Carolann Coutier and Millie Niggeling each have four turnovers. Dayton has 21 points off those giveaways. It’s been really, really ugly for UMass so far.

Perimeter defense stifling UMass: In addition to the turnovers, the Dayton defense has done a tremendous job of harassing UMass ball handlers at the top of the key, forcing the Minutewomen’s guards into bad entry passes and awful looks at the rim with little to no time left on the shot clock. It’s a very frustrating predicament for a team that is in search of just a few consecutive baskets to get things going.

Watson on the bench: Dayton went out of its way to frustrate Jasmine Watson in the first half, and it’s largely been successful. Watson has four points for UMass, but also collected three personal fouls in the process, including a silly violation at the very end of the half that will likely keep her sidelined after the break.

Dec 19 2012

Halftime thoughts: Bowling Green 27, UMass 23

  • Refs swallowing their whistles: I think most people would say they prefer a game in which the referees are all but invisible, but the Minutewomen might not agree. At least not on a night when UMass hasn’t attempted a single free throw. Bowling Green has only attempted four (making all of them). It would behoove the Minutewomen to get a little more aggressive defensively if the refs are just going to let them play.
  • Second-chance points: Offensive rebounding and second-chance scoring has generally been a bright spot for UMass this season, but the opposite has been true tonight. Bowling Green is leading the Minutewomen 10-2 in second-chance points, making good on six offensive rebounds to UMass’ two. Calling Rashida Timbilla?
  • 3-pointers not falling: UMass and Bowling Green have combined for 20 3-point shot attempts in the game’s first 20 minutes. Only four have found their mark (3-1 in favor of the Falcons). That’s not good.
Nov 25 2012

Rapid reaction: Holy Cross 63, UMass 59

Bryn Rothschild-Shea/Collegian

FINAL: Holy Cross 63, UMass 59 (Box score / Collegian wrap)

  • Late game jitters: End-of-game play has been a problem for UMass coach Sharon Dawley’s team throughout the season, but this its not as often that the Minutewomen struggle to produce while ahead in the game’s waning minutes. With the game winding down and nursing an 8-point lead with about four minutes left in regulation, UMass went into shutdown mode. The Minutewomen went cold from the field, forgot how to break a full-court press and, worst of all, started turning the ball over. This game was UMass’ to take and they left it on the table for Holy Cross.
  • Mital heats up late again: Make it two games in a row that sharpshooter Emily Mital has struggled out of the game (she was 1-of-9 from the floor at one point) before slowing finding her groove in the second half. The shots eventually began to fall for “Tex” and she finished with a team-high 14 points. I think Dawley would’ve preferred one or two of her late-game attempts to find its target, though.
  • Smith seals it: Senior co-captain guard Alex Smith has been under a lot of pressure to perform in the early going of Holy Cross’ 2012-13 season, what, with fellow preseason All-Patriot League first team selection Amy Lepley sidelined with a knee injury. Smith, who finished with a game-high 20 points (5-of-9 from beyond the arc) including the back-breaking 3-pointer off a Brisje Malone steal late in the game that sealed the Crusaders win, seems to be doing just fine. UMass has no answer for Smith when it mattered most.
  • Five game skid: This looked to be the game to get UMass back up on the horse. A four game losing streak was bad enough, but losing a fifth straight game in a fashion such as this is that much worse. Things will only get more difficult for the Minutewomen from here on out, as the team is slated to hit the road for a four-game road trip. Dawley said after the game, though, that getting away from Amherst and all the associated home distractions should do her team some good.

UMass Player of the Game: Kiara Bomben

  • 10 points (4-of-9, 2-of-4 3-PT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal in 35 minutes

Next up for the Minutewomen

  • At Ohio (1-3, 0-0 Mid-American Conference) Thursday, Nov. 29 at 11:30 a.m.