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UMass moves to 10-0 by subduing Ohio

Dec 19, 2013 - 6:17 AM Athens, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Maxie Esho led five players in double figures with 16 points to go with 10 rebounds as No. 22 Massachusetts downed Ohio, 83-71, on Wednesday.

Sampson Carter totaled 14 points, Derrick Gordon had 13 and Chaz Williams and Raphiael Putney each contributed 11 for the Minutemen (10-0), winners of 10 straight to begin a season for the first time since going 26-0 in 1995-96.

Maurice Ndour poured in 16 points, adding six rebounds and four assists for the Bobcats (7-3). Nick Kellogg added 12 points in the setback.

"Obviously we give UMass a lot of credit, but we are very disappointed with how we played uncharacteristically. We had way too many breakdowns defensively," Ohio head coach Jim Christian said.

UMass was in control from the outset, using an 11-2 run to go up 17-7 on a 3-point play from Carter roughly seven minutes in.

Ricardo Johnson's triple later on pulled Ohio within six before another brief burst found the Minutemen ahead 32-19 on a Cady Lalanne bucket. Johnson hit 1- of-2 from the line as the Bobcats closed to 32-24, then the Minutemen countered with a 13-8 burst before taking a 45-34 edge into the break.

Esho's slam gave UMass a 64-49 advantage -- its largest of the game to that point -- with 12:18 to go. Ohio briefly awoke, scoring seven straight points that included three from Treg Setty to get within 64-56, but faltered thereafter.

Carter hit two baskets, including a triple, around a Johnson layup to make it a 69-58 game with 7:22 remaining. Less than three minutes later, the Minutemen's lead stretched to 75-59 after another trey from Carter and a 3- point play from Trey Davis.

Tyler Bergantino converted a layup with 2:28 on the clock for an 82-63 UMass lead and the visitors coasted to the buzzer.

Game Notes

UMass has won all three meetings with Ohio, including an 85-76 decision last season in Amherst ... Davis finished with nine points in 24 minutes ... Williams dished out a game-high 11 assists ... Massachusetts connected on 9- of-14 shots from beyond the arc and made 32-of-52 from the field (61.5 percent) to claim victory.