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LOWELL, Mass. – Redshirt sophomore Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) posted a team-high 19 points and seven rebounds, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (5-11, 1-2) dropped a 95-81 decision against America East Conference opponent Maine (5-11, 1-2) in a Wednesday matinee at Costello Athletic Center.
 
"This was one of those games that I thought it was really clear how we fell behind and eventually lost the game," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "We didn't handle their pressure well at all and turned the ball over 13 times in the first half. The other area that was hurtful for us was the offensive rebounds and the extra possessions, but I thought more than anything, by not handling their pressure we gave them more confidence."
 
Thomas was one of four double-digit scorers for the River Hawks. Sophomore Matt Harris (Erie, Pa.) chipped in with 14 points, while freshmen Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) and Isaac White (Ashland, Ohio) totaled 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
The River Hawks scored the first points of the day on a three from the wing by redshirt freshman Josh Gantz (Grove City, Ohio), as the team jumped out to an early 8-4 edge with 17:18 remaining in the first half. Maine put together a quick, 7-0 spurt to take their first lead in the outing, but Harris hit a jumper from beyond the arc and added a fast-break layup, making the difference just two, down 17-15, at 11:55.
 
UMass Lowell battled to keep it a two-possession game until the Black Bears used a 10-2 run to pull away, 35-24, with 6:31 left to play in the first. Thomas responded for the home squad with five consecutive points before Harris went 2-for-2 at the line and junior Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.) knocked down his first three-pointer of the outing with less than four minutes to go in the half, cutting the visitors' buffer back to four at 38-34. Although senior DJ Mlachnik (Muskego, Wis.) and Harris would score in the waning minutes, Maine tallied the last seven points of the period to lead, 48-38, at the break.
 
Jones notched the first four points coming out of halftime as part of an 8-4 scoring advantage for UMass Lowell to open the second. Maine regained a double-digit margin at 58-48, but senior Mark Cornelius (Westford, Mass.) gave the River Hawks the momentum with back-to-back layups, sparking nine unanswered points that made it just a one-point game with 14:16 still to go.
 
The Black Bears responded with 16 of the next 18 points to pull in front, 74-59, at 9:44. Freshman Keith Hayes II (Little Rock, Ark.) snapped three and a half minutes of silence for the River Hawks' offense with an off-balance three, but the visitors would go on to take their largest lead of the day at 82-62 with seven minutes to play. Maine led by 20 on two more occasions before White capped off a 12-3 run for the home squad with a long ball, making the score, 90-79, just over a minute left. Harris tallied the final points of the day at the foul line to secure the 94-81 decision.     
 
Devine Eke paced three double-digit scorers for the Black Bears with a game-high 25 points. Kevin Little added 18 points and nine rebounds, while Shaun Lawton totaled 17 points of his own. As a team, Maine outrebounded the River Hawks, 41-27, in the outing, as well.
 
Wednesday's contest marked the seventh meeting between UMass Lowell and Maine in the sport of men's basketball. The River Hawks, who still owns a 5-2 lead in the all-time series, will return to action on Saturday, January 16 when they visit UMBC for a 12 p.m. tilt.