Strong Defensive Effort Not Enough As River Hawks Fall

Saturday, December 7

Newark, NJ

2:00 PM

University of Massachusetts Lowell

1-8

New Jersey Institute of Technology

6-4

Team	1	2	F
UMass-Lowell	21	23	44
NJIT	28	27	55

Strong Defensive Effort Not Enough As River Hawks Fall

12/7/2013 4:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

UMass Lowell Wraps Up Road Trip Against Columbia Monday

NEWARK, N.J. – The UMass Lowell men's basketball team did an admirable job containing the New Jersey Institute of Technology but ultimately dropped the decision to the Highlanders 55-44 at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

Guard Akeem Williams (Brockton, MA) put forth a great effort finishing with a season high 19 points to go along with 4 rebounds. The senior started off hot scoring nine of the River Hawks 21 first half points.

The defeat drops the River Hawks record to 1-8 overall while the Highlanders improve to 6-4, including a 4-2 record against teams from the America East.

The River Hawks defense was its biggest strength on Saturday holding NJIT to a field goal percentage of 37.7% and closed out on the perimeter with the Highlanders making just four of the 19 3-pointers they took (0-6 in the second half).

The Highlanders trio of Damon Lynn, Terrence Smith, and Winfield Willis came into the contest averaging a combined 44.9 points a game but managed to total just 14 points.

Junior Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) was the second leading scorer finishing with 15 points, including some timely buckets late in the second half as the River Hawks made a final push.

The River Hawks did a stellar job containing Lynn, the Highlanders leading scorer at 20.1 points a game. The freshman only scored 8 points and was held in check from downtown, failing to connect on any of his seven attempts from distance.

The teams battled back and forth in the first half exchanging leads seven times before a 12-4 run before the intermission by NJIT gave them a 28-21 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

UMass Lowell held an advantage on the boards, outrebounding the Highlanders 38-32 and totaled 13 rebounds on the offensive end. Crashing the offensive glass resulted in seven 2^nd chance points for the River Hawks.

NJIT's Manny Tselentakis came off the bench igniting the Highlanders in the first half with three 3-pointers. Tselentakis whose previous career high was five points had 11 at the break.

The River Hawks will have Sunday off before taking on Columbia at & P.M. at the Francis Levien Gymnasium.