Box Score (PDF) | Harris Interview

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Despite outscoring the Columbia Lions by 10 in the fourth quarter, the UMass Lowell (0-8) women's basketball dropped today's non-conference tilt, 76-57, at Levien Gymnasium.
 
Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) netted 12 points in the final frame to finish with a team-high 19 points, and set career highs going 11-from-12 from the free throw line. Nicole Hayner (Bedford, N.H.) chipped in six in the fourth to score 14 points.

"I thought Columbia came out with energy and they were hitting shots early on, and we couldn't get going until the fourth quarter," commented Head Coach Jenerrie Harris. "We had more field goal attempts but at the end of the day our percentage wasn't great. Columbia did a great job capitalizing on transition offense and we didn't respond as well as we could have."
 
The Lions capped off the first quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from beyond half court to give them a 19-9 lead heading into the second period. Hayner led the way in the frame, scoring five points for the River Hawks.
 
UMass Lowell was able to almost double its production in the second quarter, but Columbia scored 27 in the frame. Hayner added her second triple of the game to cut the deficit to 23-14, but the Lions responded with an 8-0 run to open a 31-14 advantage just over three minutes into the period, and took a 46-25 lead into halftime.
 
Hayner became the first River Hawk in double figures with a floater in the lane, coming just under three minutes into the fourth. Gibbs added her 11th point with two free throws moments later, and Hayner followed that up with a three to trim the deficit to 69-49 with 5:30 left in the contest.
 
The River Hawks return home to entertain Fairleigh Dickinson on December 5 at 7 p.m.