December 6 at Sacred Heart (7 p.m.)
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FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team, who is currently 2-7 overall in 2016-17, is looking to snap a three-game skid in their last game before an 11-day break at Sacred Heart on Tuesday evening, December 6. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite mounting a valiant, second-half comeback and taking the lead inside of three minutes left to play, the UMass Lowell men's basketball team came up just short in a 75-74 loss to NJIT (5-4) on Saturday afternoon at the Tsongas Center. Junior
Matt Harris logged a team-high 17 points in the decision, going 5-for-5 from the foul line. Sophomore
Ryan Jones and redshirt-junior
Jahad Thomas added 16 and 14 points, respectively. Thomas chipped in with a team-best six rebounds, as well. Although the River Hawks trailed by 15 at halftime and by nine with less than nine minutes remaining in the contest, Harris completed a three-point play to erase the difference and knot the score, 70-70, at 3:54 in the second. The score was tied twice more, the last time coming at 74-74 with just over two minutes to go. Both sides traded go-ahead attempts, but the difference maker was a free throw by the Highlanders in the final seconds of action. Â
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through nine games in 2016-17,
Jahad Thomas leads the squad with 15.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, 31 assists and 14 steals. Thomas is one of three River Hawks scoring in double figures this season, as
Matt Harris and senior
Tyler Livingston follow closely with 13.0 and 12.1 points per game, respectively. Livingston is first on the team with 22 three-pointers in 2016-17, while Harris boasts a 92.7 percent clip (38-41) from the line. Redshirt-freshman
Dontavious Smith totals a team-best four blocks, as well. As a whole, UMass Lowell is shooting 45.6 percent (226-496) from the floor, 36.5 percent (74-203) from beyond the arc and 81.3 percent (170-209) from the foul line.
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
The Pioneers own a 3-5 record this season after dropping an 87-79 overtime heartbreaker against Hartford on Dec. 3. Prior to that outing, the squad earned back-to-back wins against Norfolk State (61-59) and Fordhamd (71-70). Quincy McKnight paces the team with 18.3 points per game, while Joseph Lopez adds 11.8 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game. Charles Tucker is leading SHU with 27 assists so far and Matej Buovac is the squad's biggest threat from beyond the arc, boasting a 41.4 percent clip (12-29) from long range. The Highlanders are shooting 44.0 percent (25-466) from the floor and 31.6 percent (43-136) from three-point range.
SERIES HISTORY
The Pioneers lead the all-times series against the River Hawks, 23-18. However, UMass Lowell has won the most recent two outings between the squads, including an exciting, 87-84 buzzer beater at Tsongas last season on November 18.
A WIN WOULD
A win against Sacred Heart would give UMass Lowell its third straight win against the Pioneers, as the River Hawks have won the only two Division I meetings between the schools. It would also give UMass Lowell its second win against a Northeast Conference opponent this year to improve to 2-1. The win would snap a three-game skid, as well.
SWEET SPOT
UMass Lowell has made the most of its opportunities at the line so far this season. The squad tallied 32 made free throws in the win against Wagner on Nov. 14, marking the most in a single game for the program since Jan. 4, 1995 when the River Hawks totaled 43 against Assumption. The team is currently shooting 81.3 percent (170-209) from the charity stripe, good for first in the America East Conference. Individually,
Matt Harris, who was perfect through the first five games of the season, is leading the way for the team with 92.7 percent clip (38-41) on free throws.
ON TARGET
The River Hawks have shown they know how to take the right shots in 2016-17, having shot at least 50.0 percent from the floor already three times this season.
Jahad Thomas owns a team-best 55.8 clip (48-86) from the field. As a team, UMass Lowell has shot better than its opponent in six of its nine games thus far.
REWRITING HISTORY
Jahad Thomas wiped the glass clean vs. Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 22, bringing down a career-high 19 rebounds. His standout performance set a Division I record and marked the most boards in a single game for the program since legend Leo Parent brought down 20 vs. Brandeis on Feb. 8, 1979.
ROAD WARRIORS
The River Hawks play 17 of their 31 games in 2016-17 away from friendly confines, including five of their first six. The team is still looking for its first true road win of the year, having picked up its lone victory away from home this season in a neutral-site contest vs. Mississippi Valley State. UMass Lowell has accumulated an 88-110 road record since 2003-04.
CLOSING THE DOOR
The squad's youth has shown through in the latter minutes of games this season, as they have had a tough time holding onto leads. So far, the team has led in the second half five times, but has only gone on to win two of those occasions.
HELPING HANDS
One key to the River Hawks' balanced scoring is their ability to share the basketball. This year, the squad is averaging 15.1 assists per game, to rank second in the America East. UMass Lowell is led by
Jahad Thomas with a total of 31 helpers so far.
HIGH SCORING AFFAIRS
After averaging a league-best 76.6 points per game in 2015-16, it looks as though the River Hawks will continue with their high offensive output this season. Through nine games, the team is averaging 77.3 points per game to sit second in the conference.
EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES
Having such a young team means everyone has to play a role. In eight of the nine games this year, the River Hawks have had at least three double-digit scorers. Four of the team's games so far have included four players in double figures, with five River Hawks boasting over 10 points in each of the team's outings against Liberty and MVSU.
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