Wednesday, November 18 vs. Sacred Heart (7 p.m.)
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LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team welcomes Sacred Heart University of the Northeast Conference to the Tsongas Center for their 2015-16 home opener on Wednesday evening, November 18. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.

WHITE OUT
Be sure to get to the home opener vs. Sacred Heart early. The first 1,000 fans will receive a special WHITE OUT t-shirt!

LEADING THE FLOCK
After just one game in 2015-16, freshman Isaac White (Ashland, Ohio) is first on the squad with 15.0 points per game. Junior Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.), who is tied with White for the team lead with three, three-point field goals so far, adds 9.0 points per game. Redshirt sophomore Jahad Thomas (WIlliamsport, Pa.) is contributing 8.0 points per game, and paces the River Hawks with 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. As a whole, UMass Lowell is shooting 32.1 percent (18-56) from the floor, 38.1 (8-21) from beyond the arc and 65.0 percent (13-20) on free throws.

SCOUTING SACRED HEART
Sacred Heart is entering its contest against the River Hawks at 1-1 after splitting a pair of decisions last week. The Pioneers topped Quinnipiac, 76-64, in their season opener on Nov. 13, before dropping a 99-77 decision at Yale on Nov. 16. Sophomore guard Cane Broom is pacing the offense for the Pioneers, averaging 29.5 points while shooting 56.7 percent from the field through the squad's first two games. Freshman guard Quincy McKnight is second to Broome, putting up 11.5 points per game with a team-best three dishes per contest, and sophomore guard Chris Robinson is leading the team with five boards a game. As a team, Sacred Heart is shooting 45.0 percent (49-109) from the field, including 29.2 percent (7-24) from three-point territory, and 63.2 percent (48-76) from the line. The team is also averaging 37.5 rebounds per game on the young season.

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday's contest marks the 40th meeting between UMass Lowell and Sacred Heart in the sport of men's basketball. The Pioneers own a slim, 23-17 margin in the all-time series, but the River Hawks earned a hard-fought, 57-54 victory when the teams last met on November 20, 2014 in Fairfield, Conn.

HOME SWEET HOME
Although the River Hawks have only 12 home games this year, the squad has a history of performing well in friendly confines. UMass Lowell has accumulated a 99-53 mark in Lowell since 2003-04.

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
With eight newcomers on his squad for the second consecutive year, Coach Duquette is once again looking for the rookie class to make an impact right away. In the season opener, three freshmen earned a starting role, while newcomer Isaac White led the team with 15 points.

HOARDING THE BOARDS
With some more size in the lineup this year, the River Hawks are focusing on pulling down more rebounds. In the season opener, the squad grabbed 37 boards, a number they matched or beat just three times last season. The squad averaged just 28.9 rebounds per game in 2014-15.

EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES
Having such a young team means everyone has to play a role. In the season opener, the River Hawks' bench was pivotal, outscoring their opponents, 30-16.

DEFENSE WINS GAMES
Coach Duquette has made it very clear that strong half-court defense will continue to be the foundation of his program. Last year, the team earned eight of its 12 wins when scoring less than 70 points.

A THREAT ON THREES
UMass Lowell appears to be a threat from beyond the arc for the second straight season. The team is currently third in the America East for 3FG percentage (38.1). Through one game, Isaac White and Tyler Livingston pace the squad with three three-pointers apiece.