University of Massachusetts Lowell
St. Michaels
Welch, River Hawk Defense Lead UMass Lowell to 71-54 Win Over Saint Michael's
11/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2010
Sophomore Matt Welch (Lowell, Mass.) may have given the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team the 23-point spark that ignited their offense, but the River Hawk defense is what earned them a 71-54 victory in Wednesday night’s Northeast-10 Conference opener against Saint Michael’s.
Welch tallied 16 points in the first half – 12 off three-pointers – and went on to finish the night with 23 points and three boards. He went 7-11 from the floor and 5-7 from long range.
"Matt is really our glue guy offensively," said Head Coach Greg Herenda. "He is shooting the ball well and also getting everyone involved in our offense."
UMass Lowell’s defense, however, shut down Saint Michael’s leading scorer Travis Warech. The sophomore came into the game averaging 24.0 PPG and left Costello Gymnasium having tallied just two points on the night.
“We played a more complete game tonight than we had in the past two,” said Herenda. “When we can get a lead, we play the game at our tempo. Well, we got a lead so we set the tempo fast. We never let them be comfortable.”
The River Hawks got a quick start in the game, jumping to a 9-2 lead off a three from Robbie Walton (South Boston, Mass.) and a pair of threes from Welch. Saint Michael’s retaliated immediately, however, going on an 11-0 run over the next 2:30 to go up 13-9 just five minutes into the tilt. The Purple Knights never got up by more than four, though, as UMass Lowell kept the game tight after letting their lead slip.
Walton sank a pair of free throws just under 10 minutes into the game, though, to knot it back at 18 apiece. The baskets were part of a 25-8 run by the River Hawks over a 12 minute span in the first stanza, giving them the 34-21 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the half. The River Hawks held onto their lead, going into the break up 37-25.
Saint Michael’s inched closer, bringing UMass Lowell’s lead back down to single digits by scoring the first five points of the second frame, but the River Hawks composed themselves and regained control, going on an 18-9 run to give themselves a 55-39 lead with less than 10 remaining in regulation.
The River Hawks increased their lead and turned the game strongly in their favor during a one-minute span that boasted four layups, a pair of steals and two offensive boards by the River Hawks. Freshman Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.), Romeo Diaz (Methuen, Mass.) and Walton combined for eight points the River Hawks’ quick stretch.
Williams finished the day with a personal-best 16 points and tied for a team-best eight boards – five offensive. Ten of his 16 were netted in the second half. Diaz netted eight points and also grabbed eight boards in the game, adding four assists, as well. Walton finished the night with nine points, five rebounds and three steals.
“We have a balanced offense paired with a quick and athletic defense on this team,” Herenda said. “I like both of those options.”
Forward Heman Honore (Medford, Mass.) saw significant playing time in the game, tallying nine points and five rebounds in the tilt. Freshman Kerry Weldon (New York, N.Y.) also grabbed five rebounds and a pair of blocks in the game.
“This team tries hard all the time and is also really deep. Our depth happens to be young, but that’s okay,” Herenda said. “Tonight, we kept Saint Michael’s under 60 points after letting them score almost 20 in the first 10 minutes, and that was one of our goals.”
The River Hawks shot 42.1% from the floor and held Saint Michael’s to 36.0% in the second half. They outscored the Purple Knights 32-10 in the paint and 23-11 on second choice baskets.
Freshman Michael Holton, Jr. led the Purple Knights with 15 points, while Nate Birr netted 10 and grabbed eight rebounds.
With the win, UMass Lowell improves to 3-0 overall for the second time in as many seasons and 1-0 in conference action. Saint Michael’s falls to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in NE-10 play.
The River Hawks return to action on Tuesday evening, heading to Southern New Hampshire for a 7:30 p.m. conference game.
