Nov. 16, 2011

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Sophomore G Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) scored a game-high 25 points to lead No. 23 UMass Lowell over Bentley University, 57-55, Wednesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball clash at the Dana Center.

With the victory UMass Lowell improved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference entering Saturday's non-conference home opener with Philadelphia University (1:00).

The win was also UMass Lowell's third over a team ranked in the final 2010-11 NCAA East Region Poll. Over the weekend, the River Hawks scored a 108-105 win at the University of Bridgeport and a 60-50 victory over Post University in the UB Classic.

"To beat Bentley on its home floor is always an accomplishment," said head coach Greg Herenda. "They are so well coached and play so hard."

Bentley slipped to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the NE-10.

Williams converted 11 of 16 field goals and also grabbed four rebounds. Sophomore F Antonio Bivins (Miami, Fla.) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds while scoring six points and blocking two shots.

Sophomore G Scotty Tavares-Taylor (Roxbury, Mass.) also chipped in with seven assists and five rebounds in addition to seven points.

"This was a great Conference road win," said Herenda. "My guys gutted it out and our student body made it feel like a home game. Akeem was awesome again and (senior guard) Robbie (Walton/South Boston, Mass.) and Scotty sealed the deal."

Junior F Dan O'Keefe led the Falcons with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists while freshman F Andrew Shaw added 11 points on 4-8 field goal shooting.

UMass Lowell led 53-49 with 5:20 left to play, but Bentley scored five straight points - a layup and a 3-point shot by Shaw - to snatch a 54-53 lead with 2:55 left to play.

The River Hawks and converted three free throws - two by Walton and one by Tavares-Taylor - to assume a 57-54 lead with 16 seconds remaining.

Early in the second half, UMass Lowell led 34-26 on a trey by Tavares-Taylor, but Bentley came back with an 8-2 run to knot the score at 36-36 with 13:13 left to play. Senior G Sam Leclerc and Shaw each meshed 3-point shots to lead the run.

UMass Lowell led at the break 25-19.