Nov. 8, 2009

Box Score

 

Junior guard Max Kerman (Watertown, MA) tallied a team-best 14 points and grabbed three rebounds as the River Hawks took on the University of Connecticut Huskies in an exhibition game in Storrs, CT on Sunday. The River Hawks efforts were not enough, as they fell to the Division I powerhouse 88-50.

It was UConn senior guard Jerome Dyson's (Potomac, MD) 12-point run over a three-minute span in the first that killed UMass Lowell's momentum, bringing the close 18-17 game to 30-17 in UConn's favor. Dyson finished the game with 32 points and a game-best four steals.

The teams were evenly matched for the first 12 minutes of play and the River Hawks even had 10-9 advantage six minutes into the game. The Huskies were up by 42 at one point, before the River Hawks minimized the deficit to 38.

"I was very please how our team came out and played the first 12 minutes of the game," head coach Greg Herenda said. "We stuck to our gameplan and really executed on both ends of the floor."

Sophomore Kyle Caiola (Parma, OH) notched 12 points on the afternoon, including 10 in the second half. He also dished a team-best three assists and went 5-for-6 from the free throw line.  Freshman Scotty Tavares-Taylor (Boston, MA) saw significant playing time and went 4-for-9 from the floor, tallying nine points on the afternoon.  Senior forward Ali Kanaan (Montreal, Que.) had a team-best four rebounds and swatted the ball for four blocks, as well.

Kerman was a perfect 2-for-2 from behind the arc and 6-for-7 from the floor en route to his 14-point performance. He had three rebounds on the day and added an assist.

UConn's Kemba Walker (Bronx, NY) tallied 15 points on the afternoon while former Tilton teammate of Tavares-Taylor and cousin of River Hawk forward Kingsley Onyechi (Lowell, MA), freshman Alex Oriakhi (Lowell, MA) had a game-best 14 rebounds on the day.

"UConn was obviously awesome in transiton and there perimeter defense was smothering," said Herenda. "They are very long and extremely quick. There's a reason they are ranked 12th in America."

The River Hawks shot 75 percent from the charity stripe, going 11-for-14 in the game, while the Huskies shot 60 percent, going 21-for-35 on the afternoon.

"This experience is going to help us going into our regular season. The entire day, from our incredible turnout at our 6th Man reception, to the atmosphere in Gampel was awesome," Herenda said. "I am very proud of how my team reacted to it all."

UMass Lowell opens its regular season at home on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 3:00 p.m. in Costello Gym. The squad was selected No. 3 in the Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches Poll and will begin conference play the following Wednesday at Saint Michael's College at 7:30 p.m.