The Massachusetts women’s basketball team got out to a fast start and never looked back en route to another Mid-American Conference victory, relying on its tried and tested captains.
Allie Palmieri, Megan Olbrys and Lilly Ferguson were named captains of the UMass (16-4, 8-2 MAC) team in the late fall and since then, it’s been a working project to improve the captain’s leadership both off and on the court. Against Eastern Michigan, all three played their role and propelled the Minutewomen to victory.
The visiting Eagles (10-11, 4-7 MAC) fell into a 17-0 hole out of the gate, going scoreless for the first seven minutes of game time. Palmieri and Olbrys set the tone on the offensive end, finding seams against the zone and forcing Eastern Michigan to play from behind.
Palmieri got hot and stayed that way. Recovering from a concussion suffered against Bowling Green, the graduate student looked to recenter and bounce back to in-season form after a game off. With 18 points, she led UMass’ attack from the sky, going 3-for-6 from beyond the arc and 6-for-10 on the night.
“I think it was just seeing that I’m back to normal,” Palmieri said. “Getting my confidence back.”
Her shots from deep were without hesitation and “opened the floor up”, according to Olbrys. The duo commanded the court with Palmieri causing chaos on the outside and Olbrys creating trouble in the paint. The Norwood, Mass., native added 15 points to the effort, all inside through contact and repeatedly punished the Eagles for defensive misalignments.
Olbrys played strong defense against a taller-than-average opponent, beating the Eagles wings with size and their bigs with speed. She also noted she felt comfortable playing with her protective mask, saying it was finally molded to her face and gave her “really no issues” during the game.
Ferguson remains one of the unsung heroes protecting the Minutewomen’s undefeated home record. While her stats aren’t bouncing off the box score, her impact is noticed in her teammates’ performance. Head coach Mike Lefler counted on her in the second half to slow a rallying Eastern Michigan and Furguson stepped up.
“[Ferguson] even made some really nice defensive plays in the second half when we were looking for a little bit of energy.”
Playing the utility role on a team trying to win a championship can have its ups and downs. With superstar shooters and top defenders, the senior forward has had to work to make her presence known.
The Newington, Conn., native commands her troops in battle every day, pushing her teammates in practice as well as directing in-game traffic like she did against the Eagles. Being a first-time captain, Ferguson has taken time to find her fit in the role. Needless to say, she’s embraced it, leading her squad with confidence.
“It’s one thing to say… it’s another thing to walk the walk every day,” Leflar said. “My belief in our team has grown exponentially because [the captains] want to keep pushing.”
With only about five weeks until the MAC tournament starts, UMass looks to continue a home win streak and secure a spot in the post season — a goal the team has made clear the entire season. Coming down the stretch can be daunting to the inexperienced, but no trouble for the Minutewomen and staff.
“I really like February basketball,” Leflar said. “There are teams out there that think they’ve reached their potential… and then there are teams that think there’s a heck of a lot more ahead for them.”
Plenty lies ahead of the three UMass musketeers and the captains seem ready to weather the storm based on their most recent victory.
The Minutewomen will play next on Sunday Feb. 8 at noon against James Madison in the Sun Belt – MAC challenge. The matchup can be watched live on CBSSN.
Matt Ford-Wellman can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @MattFW_4
