Troy won the Sun Belt regular season and the conference tournament last year. It finished 22-12 overall and 12-6 in league play, then reached the NCAA Tournament. UMass opens its season against that team with a roster still being assembled. The school's release lists seven returning players, three transfers and five freshmen, so more than half of the group has never played a game for the Minutemen. The two returners a preview singles out are Jayden Ndjigue and Danny Carbuccia. Ndjigue started all 33 games and averaged 6.6 points and 5.1 rebounds. Carbuccia averaged 7.7 points and 6.6 assists. Neither reached double figures in scoring, so the offense UMass runs on the road will lean on newcomers who have never played together. Marshall beat UMass 78-72 in last November's opener, in this same MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. I make Troy the right side on the spread tonight, a defending conference champion against a team opening with eight new players on a roster of 15.
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