University of Massachusetts Lowell
St. Michaels
Men's Basketball: Colon, River Hawks On the Mark in 83-47 Win Over Saint Michael's
1/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LOWELL – Junior F Victor Colon (Chicago, IL) scored 19 points an grabbed eight rebounds as UMass Lowell defeated Saint Michael’s College, 83-47, Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference men’s basketball clash at the Costello Athletic Center.
The win was the fifth straight for the River Hawks, who improved to 9-4 overall and 4-3 in the NE-10 entering Tuesday’s home clash against Le Moyne (7:30). Saint Michael’s slipped to 5-5 overall and 3-5 in the Conference and host Franklin Pierce Tuesday at 7:30.
UMass Lowell collectively shot .545 for the game (30-55) while the Purple Knights shot .370 (17-46) but struggled from the floor in the second half, shooting .217 (5-23).
The River Hawks also forced 23 turnovers while committing only eight, and outscored Saint Michael’s 29-2 off turnovers.
The game also marked the fifth time this season – and second straight – that the River Hawks held an opponent under 50 points.
Freshman G Marcus Johnson (South Bend, IN) came off the bench to score a season-high 18 points, hitting 7 of 8 field goal attempts and all four free throws, while freshman G Kyle Caiola (Parma, OH) added 16 points (15 in the first half), six steals and three assists.
Following a six-game absence due to an injury, junior Ali Kanaan (Montreal, QUE) came off the bench to add six points, five assists, five rebounds and two blocked shots in 21 minutes.
"That was a total team effort led by a great performance by a freshmen that played like a veteran,” said UML Head Coach Greg Herenda. “Kyle was terrific in the first half and having Ali back was a huge lift to our interior defense."
Senior F Jon Zylstra (Uxbridge, MA) led Saint Michael’s with 10 points while sophomore G Chris Hurley (Watertown, MA) chipped in eight points and four assists.
UMass Lowell led 33-28 with 5:29 left in the first half and ended the half with a 14-2 run to post a 47-30 cushion at the break. Colon and Johnson each scored four points in the run.
The River Hawks maintained the pressure in the second half and led by 21 (60-39) with 13:19 left to play, outscoring Saint Michael’s 23-8 to end the game. Colon and Johnson again led the surge, scoring eight points each.
"What can you say? Our defense was very special today,” Herenda noted. “To hold any team under 50 is so difficult, but to do it two games in a row takes great commitment. I could not be more proud of our guys’ effort."
