Feb. 23, 2011

Box Score

The UMass Lowell men's basketball team, behind a 23-point performance from freshman Antonio Bivins (Miami, Fla.) closed the regular season with a 79-63 win over Franklin Pierce at home, securing the No. 6 seed in the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament.

With the win, UMass Lowell closes the 2010-11 regular season with an 18-8 record and 14-8 mark in conference action, while Franklin Pierce ends its season with a 6-21 clip on the year and 4-18 showing in NE-10 play.

Next up for the No. 6 River Hawks is the NE-10 Tournament First Round against No. 11 Merrimack at home in Costello Gymnasium on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. Check back to www.GoRiverHawks.com for complete details.

Bivins topped his personal-best with his 23-point showing off the bench, while sophomore Matt Welch (Lowell, Mass.) added 20 on the night. Bivins went 10-12 from the floor in the game and grabbed six rebounds and a pair of steals on the night. Welch, who sank four from long range, had seven boards, a pair of assists and as many steals.

Both teams got off to a slow offensive start, but the River Hawks found themselves up 13-9 nine minutes into the contest. They went on a 14-2 run from there, capped by a three from freshman Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) to go up 27-11 less than three minutes later.

Welch sank a three in the final 30 seconds of the first frame, but it was answered by a longball at the buzzer from Franklin Pierce's Eric Jean-Guillaume, making it a 41-29 game entering the locker room.

UMass Lowell led by as many as 24 five minutes into the second stanza, but the Ravens cut the lead in half, making it a 12-point game with 7:30 left in regulation. The River Hawks kept Franklin Pierce from inching any closer, converting their last six free throw chances and winning by the eventual, 16-point margin, 79-63.

"We're scoring the ball and we're stealing it. We're defending and the only thing that hurt us tonight was our rebounding," said Head Coach Greg Herenda. "But I give a lot of credit to Franklin Pierce. They came in here and didn't have much to play for and competed throughout."

Bivins tallied 16 of his 23 in the second half, while the River Hawks shot 50% from the floor in the second and 46.3% in the game. UMass Lowell held its opponent to 31% shooting on the night.

Franklin Pierce owned the slight, 45-40 advantage on the glass, while the teams were an even 14 points apiece on second chances. The River Hawks stole the ball 12 times compared to just five from the Ravens, while UMass Lowell committed just nine turnovers in the game and the Ravens suffered 17 miscues. The River Hawks capitalized by outscoring Franklin Pierce 24-6 off turnovers.

Sophomore Romeo Diaz (Methuen, Mass.) led the team with eight rebounds on the night, chipping in two points, as well. The lone River Hawk, aside from Welch and Bivins, to score in double-figures was Williams, who had 18 points, four assists and three rebounds in the game.

Junior Robbie Walton (South Boston, Mass.) dished a game-high five assists, grabbed three steals and added six points. Freshman Darrell Ward (White Plains, N.Y.) tallied four points and as many rebounds, while forward Heman Honore (Medford, Mass.) netted six points and five boards.

Senior Kinard Dozier, playing his last collegiate game for the Ravens, led the squad with 20 points, while Jeff Manchester led Franklin Pierce on the glass with eight rebounds.