Sophomore G Akeem Williams  (Brockton, Mass.) compiled 22 points and led three teammates in double figures as UMass Lowell defeated the College of Saint Rose, 68-66, Wednesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball clash at the Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium.

The win was the fourth straight and seventh in the last eight games for UMass Lowell, which improved to 13-5 overall and 9-5 in the NE-10 entering Saturday's home game against the University of New Haven (4:00).

The win also catapults UMass Lowell into a share of third place in the NE-10 standings.

Saint Rose slipped to 3-15 overall and 3-11 in the Conference.

Williams converted 8 of 15 field goal attempts, 3-6 from 3-point range, and dished three assists. Senior G Dipanjot Singh (Evanston, Ill.) added 13 points and six rebounds while sophomore G Scotty Tavares-Taylor (Roxbury, Mass.) also had 13 points (3-6 FGs, 3-5 treys.

Senior G Robbie Walton (South Boston, Mass.) chipped in 10 points (4-6 FGs), six rebounds and four assists, including the go-ahead layup with 24 seconds left.

"Robbie Walton" made the play and my associate head coach Marc Kuntz made the call," said head coach Greg Herenda. "It was all about No. 5. Robbie was everywhere on the floor when we needed him."

Junior G Andre Pope led Saint Rose with 17 points and three assists while senior F Brian Hanuschak added 15 points (6-9 FGs), 10 rebounds and four assists. Sophomore C Dominykas Milka chipped in 12 points (3-6 FGs, 6-6 FTs) off the bench.

UMass Lowell outscored Saint Rose, 24-6 from 3-point range, and, led by Singh and sophomore C Darrel Ward (White Plains, N.Y.), 21-12 off the bench. Ward added six points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in 24 minutes.

The advantages covered for Saint Rose's 14-9 edge on second chance points, the result of a 19-12 lead on offensive rebounds. The Golden Knights also had an 18-10 edge from the free throw line, though neither team shot particularly well (UMass Lowell 10-20 and Saint Rose 18-28).

UMass Lowell led 52-51 with 13:05 left to play and went on a 9-2 spurt - led by seven points from Williams - to grab a 61-53 lead with 9:53 left to play.

After Tavares-Taylor meshed a 3-point shot for a 64-57 lead, Saint Rose began to chip away and scored seven straight points - four by sophomore G Kareem Thomas - to knot the score at 64-64 with 1:35 remaining.

Ward buried the first of two free throws with 1:07 left, but Thomas gave the Golden Knights a 66-65 lead on a jumper with 24 seconds left. Walton responded with the aforementioned layup for a one-point lead and, following a Saint Rose turnover, Tavares-Taylor hit the first of two free throws to seal the win.

Saint Rose led at the half 41-38.

"I just hope we have a great turnout for our Alumni game (Saturday)," Herenda noted. "It will be a special day and our kids deserve to play in front of a big Costello crowd."