The UMass Lowell men's basketball team dropped their decision against America East Conference leader Vermont 83-58 at Patrick Gymnasium.

The Catamounts flexed their muscle on the glass finishing with a 34-24 advantage in rebounds, and 12-6 on the offensive end. UVM also held 38-16 edge in points in the paint.

The River Hawks fall to 8-16 overall and 6-6 in the America East as the Catamounts (16-9, 10-1 America East) won their fifth straight and 12^th in 13 attempts.

Senior Akeem Williams (Brockton, Mass.) finished with a game-high 22 points while fellow classmate Antonio Bivins (Miami, Fla.) made his first start of the season, finishing with seven points, six rebounds and a season-high two blocks.

The teams exchanged baskets in the early going, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers from Williams and freshman Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.) to trim the Catamounts lead to 19-15 with 12:28 in the first half. Down 23-18 a few minutes later, the Catamounts would take over, pulling off a 26-4 run to end the half. Days after being named America East conference player of the week, UVM senior Sandro Carissimo capped off the run with a half-court shot at the buzzer to take a 49-22 lead into the half.

Williams scored 14 of his 22 after the intermission and rounded his stat line with three 3-pointers, three rebounds, and three assists.

UVM sophomore Ethan O'Day led the Catamounts pouring in 16 points of his team-high 18 in the first half and was one of three UVM players to score double-figures.

The River Hawks play next at the Tsongas Center on Saturday when they entertain Stony Brook at 4 P.M.