HEALTH & FITNESS DAY: In partnership with Lowell General Hospital and Washington Savings Bank, over 2,500 area students from 25 elementary and middle schools have been invited to attend the inaugural UMass Lowell women's basketball Health and Fitness Day. The students will be educated on healthy living, eating habits and exercise with a pre-game presentation from special guest speakers from Lowell General Hospital and the UMass Lowell Athletic Department.
 

SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS: The River Hawks began their second season in the America East in heartbreaking fashion, dropping a 65-64 contest at Binghamton on Saturday. The team led by as many as 11 in the second half and held a four-point cushion with over a minute but couldn't close out the Bearcats who took the lead on a layup with under 10 seconds. Senior guard Shannon Samuels runner in the lane would prove too strong as the River Hawks dropped their AE opener.

Junior forward Lindsey Doucette recorded her third double-double of the season with a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds while adding a block and tying her career-high with five steals. Samuels trailed with 15 points and totaled seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a three steals to round out her line. 

SCOUTING THE RETRIEVERS: UMBC enters Thursday's contest with a 2-5 record on the road and is in the midst of a three-game skid after losses to Penn, La Salle and Morgan State. The Retrievers trail only the River Hawks in the AE in scoring as the blue and red hold a 67.2 to 65.2 advantage. The Retrievers offense is led by junior guard Capree Garner who ranks second in the conference, pouring in 18.4 points per game. UMBC touts a defense that leads the league in field goal defense (.365) but is also allowing the fourth most points per game at 68.8.

ALL-TIME SERIES: The River Hawks hold a 2-0 series lead after taking both games from the Retrievers last season. The River Hawks claimed their first Division I and America East win, surging past the Retrievers in the second half by outscoring them 40-28, including a 10-0 run over the final 4:26. Jasmine McRoy led the team, scoring a game-high 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Lindsey Doucette added 13 points and eight rebounds while Nicole Hayner chipped in with 11 points.

Hayner paced the River Hawks in the second game, scoring a team-high 17 points, including a career-high five three-pointers in the 59-51 victory at home. UMass Lowell trailed 49-43 with 5:21 to go in the game but closed  the game out with a 16-2 run in the come-from-behind victory. McRoy would add 16 points and nine rebounds while Doucette totaled eight points and nine rebounds.

SECOND NEST: The River Hawks are 2-3 and average 66.4 points in the five games played at the Tsongas Center since the 1999-00 season. Last year the team played  two games in the 6,111 seat arena, falling to UNH, 75-68, and Stony Brook, 79-68.

TURNING UP THE D: The River Hawks have picked up 10+ steals in their last three games including a team season-high of 12 against the Bearcats. The team had recorded 10+ steals in two of the first 10 games.
 

PROTECTING THE NEST: The River Hawks have won their last five home games at Costello Athletic Center with wins coming over Mt. Ida, Fairleigh Dickinson, Yale, Bryant and St. Francis Brooklyn. It's the teams longest home win streak since 2012-13 when they claimed seven straight.

YEAR TWO: Saturday's conference opener will mark the River Hawks second  slate of games as a member of the America East. The team finished last year with a 4-12 conference record and finished seventh in the standings.

MCROY DOGGING UMBC: McRoy averaged a healthy 19.0 points and 9.0 rebounds against the Retrievers last year.

DOUCETTE'S DUB-DUBS: Junior forward Lindsey Doucette posted her third double-double of the season against the Bearcats on Saturday, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds while matching her career-high with five thefts.

RIVER HAWKS FLYING HIGH IN AE: The River Hawks are atop the America East Conference in several categories. The team leads the AE in scoring offense (67.2 ppg), 3-point field goals made per game (7.0), 3-point field goal percentage (31.3%), blocks (3.5 bpg). The team is also second in free throw percentage (71.0%), field goal percentage (42.3%) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (26.6%).