CARBONDALE, Ill. – Senior Raymond Wright scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double in a 90-71 loss to the Massachusetts Minutemen in the opening round of the 2008 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer on the campus of Southern Illinois University.
 
The game is considered an exhibition contest for the Weevils so the loss will not affect UAM’s season record, but does count for UMass, moving them to 1-0 this year and advancing them to the regional finals.
 
 UAM held a lead on the NCAA Division I team late in the first half at 33-31 due to an 11-0 run, started by two free-throws from Wright. Senior Bernard Seymour gave the Weevils their first lead with a jump-shot at the 4:08 mark of the opening period. Less than a minute later, senior Antwain Cosey gave UAM its largest lead of the game with a free-throw shot to give UAM the two-point advantage with 3:40 left in the first half.
 
The Minutemen then used a 13-0 run over the next three minutes that was the turning point in the game, as UMass never trailed from that point and held leads of 21 twice in the second half.
 
Wright’s 25 points led all scorers. He was 9 of 13 from the field and 7 of 8 from the charity stripe. His rebounds were almost identical with five offensive and six defensive.
 
Senior Deron Brown aided Wright and the Weevils with 11 points, shooting 4 of 10 from the field, including a team-best three three-pointers.
 
As a team, the Weevils shot 38 percent from the field in the first half and 42 percent in the second, finalizing the team’s mark of 40 percent for the game, while UMass finished six points higher at 46 percent, connecting on 31 of 67 attempts.
 
On the other side, UMass’ Tom Gaffney was the player to stop. Gaffney racked up a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds, marking his first career double-double.

The Weevils wait to see who they will play next. UAM will face off against the loser of the Southern Illinois vs. California (Pa.) game, which started approximately 30 minutes after the end of UAM’s loss to the Minutemen. That game will start at 3:30 p.m. from SIU Arena in Carbondale.