Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. (Nov. 23, 2013) – Junior G Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) scored 23 points and senior G Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) added 10 as UMass Lowell suffered a 79-68 loss at the University of Rhode Island Saturday afternoon in a non-conference men's college basketball clash at the Ryan Center.
 
With the loss, UMass Lowell slipped to 0-5 entering Tuesday's clash at Cincinnati (7:00). The River Hawks return home Sunday, Dec. 1 to host Mount Ida College.
 
URI improved to 4-2 and hosts UNC-Asheville Monday (7:30) and McNeese State Wednesday (7:30) in the third and fourth rounds of the NIT Season Tipoff.
 
Holley, who had 18 points in an 87-76 loss to Brown earlier this week, converted 9 of 15 field goal attempts and 3 of 4 free throws. Senior F Kerry Weldon (New York, N.Y.) enjoyed his best game with nine points, eight rebounds and two steals while hitting 4-7 field goals.
 
"I really thought Kerry had breakout game. He played excellent," said UMass Lowell Head Coach Pat Duquette. "We talked to him at the Brown game about how important he is and why he's important. He brings us a lot of energy. He plays really hard and he demands that of his teammates. If he's doing that, he really helps us."
 
Senior G Xavier Munford led URI with 16 points (including 12 in the second half), six rebounds and six assists while freshman guard E.C. Matthews added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists, hitting 5-8 field goal attempts.
 
Junior G T.J. Buchanan came off the bench to score 11 points and grab four rebounds.
 
URI shot .529 for the game, including .640 in the second half over which it converted 16 of 25 field goals. UMass Lowell shot .433 for the game and .500 in the second half (16-32).
 
The Rams also outscored UMass Lowell at the free throw line 19-10.
 
Despite the loss, UMass Lowell did well to limit URI's transition and curtailed many of its runs. "That was certainly something we did well tonight," Duquette noted.
 
In the first half, UMass Lowell disrupted URI's early rhythm and jumped out to a 13-9 lead. The Rams, however, found their collective touch and used a 16-0 run to grab a 25-13 cushion with 5:17 left in the half. Junior F Gilvutas Biruta and Buchanan led the run with four points apiece.
 
UMass Lowell did well to finish the half and used a 6-0 spurt – behind layups from Holley and sophomore G Mark Cornelius (Westford, Mass.) – to cut the deficit to 29-21. URI led at the break 31-23.
 
In the second half, URI led 55-46 and scored six straight points to build its largest lead of the game, 61-46, with 8:10 left to play. UMass Lowell rallied to trim the deficit to eight points, 70-62, behind five points from Holley and 3-point bombs from sophomore G DJ Mlachnik (Muskego, Wis.) and freshman F Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.) with 2:53 to play.
 
URI, however, meshed 9-13 free throws the rest of the way to seal the win.