Senior F Aaron Strothers and senior G Roland Davis each scored 17 points as Merrimack College defeated UMass Lowell, 74-57, Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball tilt at Hammell Court.

With the loss, UMass Lowell slipped to 16-7 overall and 12-7 in the NE-10 entering Tuesday's game at Saint Anselm (7:30).

Merrimack improved to 13-10 overall and 10-9 in the Conference.

Senior F John Corbacio (Stoney Creek, Ont.) led the River Hawks with 13 points, nine rebounds and a career-high four blocked shots in 23 minutes off the bench. Sophomore Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) and senior Diapanjot Singh (Evanston, Ill.) each added 12 points.

Strothers grabbed 11 rebounds while Davis converted 6 of 11 field goal attempts and dished four assists. Junior F Mike Clifford added 14 points (5-7 field goals) and 12 rebounds while senior G Wayne Mack chipped in 13 points, five steals and four assists.

Merrimack forced 17 turnovers while committing 12, and made the most of the advantage, outscoring the River Hawks 22-9 off miscues.

The Warriors also outscored UMass Lowell on second chances, 20-12, the result of an 18-12 edge on offensive rebounds, and posted a 19-4 lead at the free throw line.

"When you don't shoot the basketeball well and you don't rebound it well, it's hard to win basketball games," said head coach Gerg Herenda. "Merrimack dseserved to win the game and we simply did not match their intensity on the glass. That is generally where the game is won and lost."

The River Hawks struggled from the field in the first half, shooting .265 (9-34) while Merrimack shot .394 (13-33) and led 41-23 at the half. UMass Lowell found its touch in the second half, shooting .542 (13-24), but was unable to get within 12 points of the Warriors.

With the score tied 21-21 midway through the first half, Merrimack scored 18 straight points - six by Strothers and five by Davis - to post a 39-21 cushion en route to its 41-23 lead at the break.

UMass Lowell trailed by as many as 22 points (47-25) three minutes into the second half, but used a 17-7 run to cut Merrimack's lead to 54-42 with 11:25 left to play. Corbacio led the run with three treys while senior G Robbie Walton (South Boston, Mass.) added four points.

"Our one positive was John Corbacio's effort and production today," Herenda noted. "Boch singlehandedly got us back in the game in the second half."

Merrimack responded with 12 straight points - four from Davis - to post a 66-42 lead with 5:04 left to play, and UMass Lowell was unable to recover.