UMass Lowell Comeback Just Short at Saint Anselm, 72-68

Williams leads four River Hawks in double digits with 26

Box Score Freshman G Roy Mabrey scored 22 points as Saint Anselm College defeated UMass Lowell, 72-68, Tuesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball game at the Stoutenburgh Gymnasium. With the loss, UMass Lowell slipped to 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the NE-10. The River Hawks visit Franklin Pierce Saturday (3:30) and wrap the regular season at home Tuesday against Bentley (7:30). The loss put UMass Lowell into sole possession of fourth place in the standings behind Stonehill (13-7), Franklin Pierce (14-6) and leader Adelphi (15-5). Bentley (11-9), Pace (11-9) and Merrimack (11-9) currently share fifth place. Saint Anselm improved to 12-12 overall and 10-10 in the Conference. "We played very hard and rebounded the basketball very well," said head coach Greg Herenda. "But we were not offensively efficient." Sophomore G Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) led the River Hawks with 26 points on 11 for 16 shooting while junior G Matt Welch (Lowell, Mass.) added 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior G Dipanjot Singh (Evanston, Ill.) also scored 12 points while sophomore Kerry Weldon  (New York, N.Y.) posted his first double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. "You had to be in the building to see just how hard Kerry Weldon played," Herenda said. "He is emerging as one of our high energy guys and he is producing." Mabrey converted 7 of 12 field goal attempts, 3-5 from long range and all five free throws while sophomore G John Nielsen added 19 points, hitting 6-9 field goals and 5-6 attempts from long range. Saint Anselm had advantages from 3-point range (27-18) and the free throw line (11-6) and also outscored UMass Lowell's reserves, 35-12. The River Hawks were without injured sophomore F Antonio Bivins (Miami, Fla.), who averages 9.9 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench, for the second straight game. The Hawks' advantages buffered UMass Lowell's .500 shooting (16-32) in the second half, compared to Saint Anselm's .440 (11-25). Saint Anselm led 65-55 with 5:19 left to play, but UMass Lowell cut the lead to 65-64 with 1:31 left to play with a 9-0 spurt, fueled by a layup, jumper and trey by Williams and a layup by Singh. A 3-pointer by freshman G Andre King quelled the run and gave Saint Anselm a 68-64 lead with 1:14 left. Still, the River Hawks would not bow out as Williams hit a jumper with 15 seconds left and, following a pair of free throws by Mabrey, Weldon tipped in to pull the River Hawks within a basket, 70-68, with four seconds left. Following a quick foul, Nielsen hit both free throws with :03 left to seal the win for Saint Anselm. The Hawks led at the break 35-31. "We were very good in stretches tonight," Herenda said. "I have a good feeling about this team even after tonight in defeat."

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