Box Score

Junior G Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) netted 22 points and dished out five assists as UMass Lowell took down Stonehill, 74-63, in a conference game in Easton, Mass. on Wednesday night.
 
The win brings UMass Lowell to 14-8 overall and 10-8 in conference play. The River Hawks will travel to Merrimack on Saturday, February 16 (3:00).
 
Stonehill falls to 11-11 overall on the season and 7-11 in the Northeast-10. The Skyhawks will travel to Saint Michael's on Saturday, February 16 (3:30).
 
The game went back and forth early on, but senior F Romeo Diaz (Methuen, Mass.) gave UMass Lowell a six-point cushion when he knocked down a jumper with just over 12 minutes to go in the first half.
 
Diaz finished the game with four points, two rebounds and a steal.
 
The River Hawks were able to build on that lead, extending it to 12 by half time after a dunk and a layup by junior F Antonio Bivins (Miami, Fla.).
 
Bivins finished with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists. Also active in the offense for UMass Lowell was sophomore G Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) with 16 points and Sophomore G Mark Cornelius (Westford, Mass.) with nine points and five rebounds.
 
Stonehill would stage a comeback in the second half, tying the game 53-53 on a three-pointer from senior G Brian Hamor.
 
Hamor finished the game with 16 points and four assists. Also performing well for Stonehill was sophomore F Jack Cole with 16 points and 10 rebounds, freshman G Josh Heyliger with 12 points and senior G Adam Fazzini with 12 points and seven boards.
 
UMass Lowell re-gained the lead for good when Williams and Holley netted 11 points in just one minute and 13 seconds, giving the River Hawks a 64-55 lead.
 
“That was the last time we will play at Stonehill and I am so happy we came out of there with a win,” said UMass Lowell head coach, Greg Herenda. “The night was about the number 30. Mark Cornelius came off the bench and was absolutely awesome. My brother Bill wore the number 30 and I was an assistant 30 years ago when we won the Christmas tournament there in 1983.”
 
The Skyhawks were able to cut the lead back down to three late in the half after two clutch free throws from Fazzini, but UMass Lowell responded by scoring the final eight points of the game and sealing the victory.
 
“It is great to be a River Hawk,” Herenda added. “These are exciting times.”
 
UMass Lowell outshot Stonehill, 46.7% (28-60) to 41.3% (19-46) and shot 50% (16-32) in the first half.
 
The River Hawks were dominant in the paint, outscoring the Skyhawks, 38-22.