The Falcons hung tough with visiting UMass-Boston through much of the first half, but when UMass-Boston switched to a zone press with about six minutes remaining in the first half Fitchburg State started to falter.
UMass-Boston rode that pressure to a 43-34 lead at the intermission and ultimately a 79-65 win over the Falcons at the Recreation Center.
"I thought they did a great, great job in terms of the press," said UMass-Boston interim coach Rodney Hughes, who earned his first win at the helm Tuesday night. "They put the pressure on Fitchburg so much that they had to throw it away. They were making (Fitchburg) jump to throw passes and we were intercepting them."
Similarly, Fitchburg State coach Shaun Conrad said, "The press killed us. We didn't do a good job. We were very tentative. Every pass was, 'Is it going to get there?' Having not seen a press -- we've faced man-to-man full-court but we haven't seen a full-court zone press -- and as much as you think you're ready for it the first time it gets thrown at you (it's difficult). But you learn from it.
"We'll be here working at seven o'clock in the morning working on that."
UMass-Boston (1-2) trailed Fitchburg State (0-3) 27-26 after Dan Largesse nailed a free throw for the Falcons with 6:33 remaining in the first half, but then UMass-Boston went on an 11-0 run to take a 10-point lead from which Fitchburg State never recovered.
The Falcons did make one run in the second half, outscoring UMass-Boston 11-2 to cut a 51-40 deficit to just two points at 53-51, the last points of the run coming on a 3-point bomb by Brian Torres with 12:57 left in the game.
But then the UMass-Boston press again rattled Fitchburg State and the Falcons started turning the ball over with regularity.
Fitchburg State ultimately turned the ball over 29 times, while dishing a mere 11 assists.
"We have to learn how to grind through it when adversity strikes us on the court," said Conrad. "We're capable of making runs, but we can't then give it back. We made an 11-2 run and get back in the game but then I think we had back-to-back turnovers...and the air went out of the gym. Their pressure turned us over and that was essentially it."
UMass-Boston had four players score in double figures, led by Alberto Paniagua with 16 and both Roger Perry and Tony Barros with 14. Perry and Paniagua also had four assists apiece.
"Roger has been like that for four straight years," said Hughes. "That's my Steady Eddie. When I need a basket he gives me a basket and when I need him to run the show he runs the show."
Rashad Cope led Fitchburg State with 18 points while Leominster's Nick Smith added 12 points and 11 rebounds. James Prignano, who got in foul trouble in the first half, scored 11 and his defensive intensity helped spark the 11-2 Falcon run.
Fitchburg State is at Rhode Island College next Monday.
Article by Eric Avidon, Staff Writer
from Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise - 11/24/04
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/Stories/0,1413,106~4999~2555693,00.html
Newspaper Box Score UMass-Boston vs Fitchburg State 11/23/04 7:30pm at Fitchburg, MA At Fitchburg, MA UMASS-BOSTON 79, FITCHBURG STATE 65 UMASS-BOSTON (1-2) Alberto Paniagua 7-16 2-4 16; Roger Perry 5-8 3-3 14; Tony Barros 6-18 0-0 14; James L. Hall 6-13 1-3 13; Nathan Proulx 3-7 2-2 8; Eddie Ramos 3-6 1-2 7; Perkins Pierribia 1-1 1-4 3; Eric T. Bateman 1-7 0-0 2; A.J. Titus 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 33-79 10-18 79. FITCHBURG STATE (0-3) Rashad Cope 8-15 2-7 18; Nick Smith 5-12 2-2 12; James Prignano 5-9 1-2 11; Brian Torres 2-15 3-4 9; Brian Skiffington 3-7 0-0 6; Adam DiZuzio 2-3 0-0 4; Dan Largesse 1-5 1-2 3; Peter Uzoma 1-3 0-0 2; Vladimir Benoit 0-0 0-0 0; Jocelyn Velney 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-69 9-17 65. UMass-Boston.................. 43 36 - 79 Fitchburg State............... 34 31 - 65 3-point goals- UMass-Boston 3-16 (Tony Barros 2-9; Roger Perry 1-1; Nathan Proulx 0-2; Eric T. Bateman 0-1; James L. Hall 0-2; Alberto Paniagua 0-1), Fitchburg State 2-15 (Brian Torres 2-8; James Prignano 0-3; Brian Skiffington 0-2; Dan Largesse 0-2). Fouled out-- UMass-Boston-None, Fitchburg State-None. Rebounds- UMass-Boston 55 (Tony Barros 11), Fitchburg State 49 (Nick Smith 11). Assists- UMass-Boston 14 (Alberto Paniagua 4; Roger Perry 4), Fitchburg State 11 (Dan Largesse 3; Rashad Cope 3). Total fouls- UMass-Boston 22, Fitchburg State 22. A-300 First career coaching victory for UMass-Boston Interim Head Coach Rodney Hughes