University of Massachusetts Lowell
LeMoyne
Men's Basketball: Second Half Surge Leads UMass Lowell Over Le Moyne, 76-65, in a Thriller
1/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2009
LOWELL - Junior G Kevin Carr (Lancaster, OH) scored 21 points and freshman G Kyle Caiola (Parma, OH) added 16 as UMass Lowell defeated Le Moyne, 76-65, Tuesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball clash at the Costello Athletic Center.
The victory was the sixth straight for the River Hawks, who improved to 10-3 overall and 5-3 in the NE-10 entering Thursday night's game at Saint Rose (7:30).
The loss halted a string of five straight wins for Le Moyne, which slipped to 7-6 overall and 4-5 in the Conference.
Carr converted 7 of 14 field goals, including 5 of 12 from 3-point range, dished out five assists and committed three thefts. Caiola added seven rebounds, five assists and four steals while junior G Craig Heatherly (Mishawaka, IN) chipped in 10 points and five rebounds.
Freshman G Chris Johnson (Lindenhurst, NY) led the Dolphins with 23 points, hitting 7 of 14 attempts from 3-point range (six in the second half), while junior F Laurence Ekperigin (Cortland Manor, NY) added 13 points (5-6 FG shooting) - 11 in the first half - along with 10 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots.
Sophomore F Kevin Roth (Lake View, NY) chipped in 11 points and five rebounds.
UMass Lowell forced the Dolphins into 26 turnovers while committing just 12. The River Hawks made the best of it, with 16 steals to Le Moyne's three and outscoring Le Moyne 26-10 off turnovers.
UMass Lowell also shot .517 in the second half (15-29) after struggling to a .324 clip in the first half (12-37). The Dolphins shot .478 in the opening half (11-23) and .400 in the second (10-25).
The River Hawks also got key contributions from its bench, outscoring Le Moyne's, 40-30, led by Carr's 21 points. Junior C Ali Kanaan (Montreal, QUE) chipped in eight points (4-7 FGs), six rebounds and two blocked shots.
Freshman Marcus Johnson (South Bend, IN) added eight points (4-7 FGs), three assists and two steals in 16 minutes and freshman G Robbie Walton (South Boston, MA) three points, two rebounds and two assists, also in 16 minutes.
Le Moyne raced out to a 22-11 lead and was ahead 32-23 with 6:25 left to play in the half. UMass Lowell, however, went on an 11-2 run to knot the score, 34-34, at the break behind a pair of treys from Carr, who erupted for 17 points in the first half.
"Kevin Carr was the reason we were still in the game at half time," said UML Head Coach Greg Herenda. "His ability to make 3's has been huge for us all year. I am really happy for him."
Le Moyne edged ahead, 48-46 with 11:17 left to play, but the River Hawks countered with a 22-5 outburst - led by seven points apiece from Heatherly and Caiola - to post a 68-53 cushion with 3:25 remaining.
"In the second half we really defended and played tougher," Herenda noted. "It was really a win led by our bench. Robbie Walton, Kevin and Ali all came off the bench for us. Le Moyne easily could have beaten us but we just gutted this game out."
UMass Lowell never let the Dolphins within seven points the rest of the way.
