Box Score (PDF)

BANGOR, Maine – Sophomore Matt Harris (Erie, Pa.) set new career highs with 33 points, 10 field goals and seven three-pointers to lead the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (10-15, 6-6 AE) to an exciting, 108-95 overtime win at Maine (8-17, 4-8 AE) on Thursday.
 
Down by three with just seconds to play in a game that saw a total of 20 lead changes, Harris sunk the last bucket of regulation to force overtime. The River Hawks' offense then took control in the extra period, scoring 14 unanswered points in the first three minutes to put the decision out of Maine's reach.
 
"It was a wild 45 minutes," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "It was a very entertaining game for fans. I'm really happy with the way we competed tonight. They made a couple runs on their home court, we answered, and Matt Harris hit a huge three. This is a team that beat us pretty good on our court about a month ago, so I was curious to see how we would respond. Our guys showed me a lot and tonight was a super team effort."
 
The performance marked the most points in a single game for the River Hawks since 2011, in addition to marking the school's first ever back-to-back, 100-point games. The squad's 16 three-pointers was a Division I record, and the most in a game since 2003 (18). It was also the first time the team had three, 20-point scorers since 2012.
 
Harris led a bench that scored a season-high 63 points. He becomes the team's first player with seven threes in a single game at the Division I level. Redshirt sophomore Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) added 20 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the year, while freshman Logan Primerano (Peru, Ind.) logged new personal bests with 27 points and eight rebounds. Isaac White (Ashland, Ohio) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points and five assists on the night. Redshirt freshman Josh Gantz (Grove City, Ohio) tallied a season-high six assists, as well.
 
Maine led by as many as two buckets in the opening minutes of play, although the lead was short-lived thanks to threes from freshman Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) and White, which knotted the score at 12-12 with 15:44 remaining in the half.
 
The Black Bears followed with 14 of the next 17 points, creating a double-digit margin for the home squad, but Harris would drain consecutive long balls to spark a 22-4 run and give UMass Lowell the 37-30 edge at 7:25.
 
The teams traded baskets in the waning minutes of the half and River Hawks maintained at least a seven point advantage. Primerano sunk a long three at the buzzer to send UMass Lowell into the break with a double-digit lead at 54-43.
 
Maine scored the first seven points coming out of halftime to make it a two-possession game until Thomas pulled up for a jumper in the paint and Primerano added a second-chance layup to extend the River Hawks' margin to 58-50 at 14:35. The home team continued to battle, however, and outscored UMass Lowell, 10-1, in the next three minutes to erase the deficit and regain the lead at 60-59 with 12 minutes left in the outing.
 
Both sides fought for control with four quick lead changes before Harris hit a three from the corner and Thomas floated in a layup to make the score 72-68 in favor of the visitors at 9:14. The Black Bears took advantage of its chances at the line to reclaim the advantage, 78-77, and would lead by as many as three before Harris sent the game to overtime.
 
Thursday's contest marked the eighth meeting between UMass Lowell and Maine in the sport of men's basketball. The River Hawks now own a 6-2 lead in the all-time series. UMass Lowell returns home to host UMBC on Sunday, February 14 beginning at 12 p.m.