Box Score

Junior G Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) scored 24 points and senior F Matt Welch (Lowell, Mass.) added 20 as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team defeated Philadelphia University, 92-87, Sunday afternoon at the Gallagher Center.

With the win, UMass Lowell improved to 3-0 entering Tuesday's home clash against Saint Michael's (7:30).

Holy Family slipped to 2-1.

The win came a mere 18 hours after Saturday's 71-70 victory at Holy Family, in a week in which the River Hawks play four games in seven days.

Williams converted 8 of 12 shots from the floor, including 4-6 from 3-point range, and also dished out five assists. Welch meshed 7 of 9 field goals – 6-7 from long range – and grabbed four rebounds. Sixteen of his points came in the second half.

Junior F Antonio Bivins (Miami, Fla.) chipped in 12 points, hitting 5-8 field goal attempts, and grabbed seven rebounds.

“Thank God we made shots,” said head coach Greg Herenda. “It is much more fun coaching and playing when the ball goes in the basket. Matt Welch was immense today. He not only shot lights out but he guarded and led us to that victory.”

Sophomore G Nick Schlitzer led five players in double digits for Philadelphia with 21 points and six rebounds on 7-11 field goal shooting (3-5 treys) while freshman G Andre Gibbs, senior G Jim Connolly and sophomore F Peter Alexis each had 17.

Gibbs shot 7-11 and dished out six assists while Alexis converted 6-7 field goals and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Junior G Nick Christian had 10 points and six rebounds.

UMass Lowell shot a stellar .585 from the field (31 for 53), including .680 in the second half (17-25), and 13 for 19 from 3-point range. Philadelphia shot .560 overall (28-50), but only 6-17 from long range.

The River Hawks possessed and protected the ball well and committed only three turnovers to Philadelphia's nine, enabling for a 21-4 edge on points off turnovers. Led by nine points and three assists from graduate G Greg DeSantis (Trumbull, Conn.), UMass Lowell outscored the Rams off the bench, 31-5.

UMass Lowell led 80-75 with 4:18 left to play when sophomore G Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) hit a free throw, but the Rams retaliated with seven straight points – a trey and two free throws from Schlitzer and a jumper from Gibbs – to post an 82-80 lead with 2:54 to play.

As he did in the late going Saturday against Holy Family, Williams hit a 3-point attempt and Bivins followed with a dunk to give the River Hawks an 85-82 lead with 1:59 remaining.

“I wasn't even sure that Akeem was going to play today, and he gets 24,” Herenda noted. “He limped on to the bus before and after the game.”

After two free throws by Alexis, DeSantis converted a layup and Bivins followed with another dunk and a free throw for a 90-84 cushion with 55 seconds left.

Gibbs came back with a three of his own, but DeSantis sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left while the Rams were off the mark on two attempts in the final seconds.

“We are learning a great deal about ourselves early in this season,” Herenda said. “And what I'm finding out I like. We are a tough group that is playing together in crucial spots.”