Box Score (PDF) 

BALTIMORE, Md. – The UMass Lowell (3-17, 0-7) women's basketball team could not keep the momentum after a strong first half, and fell to the UMBC Retrievers (8-11, 3-3), 79-72, on Sunday afternoon.
 
"I thought we played well offensively for the most part and we did a good job moving the ball," commented Head Coach Jenerrie Harris. "Down the stretch UMBC went to its go-to players and they did a good job of hitting their shots and making big plays. We had a good game plan against them, but we need to find our go-to players when we're on offense."
 
Megan Hendrick (Alexandria, Va.) scored six points for the River Hawks in the first quarter, and helped spark a big second quarter for the visitors. UMBC held a 20-12 lead in the early minutes but behind five from Hendrick, UMass Lowell went on a 15-2 run to take a 27-21 lead with 4:47 left in the half.
 
For the first time all season, UMass Lowell had five players that scored double figures, led by Hendrick's 18. Kayla Gibbs scored 17 and grabbed 13 rebounds, extended her double-digit scoring streak to 17 consecutive games, passing Lindsey Doucette's mark of 16 games and setting new program high in the Division I era.
 
Asia Mitchell-Owens (Roxbury, Mass.) chipped in 12, while Nicole Hayner (Bedford, N.H.) and Oda Shackeford (Edinburgh, Ind.) contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
With the hosts ahead by eight just 46 seconds into the second quarter, Hayner scored five consecutive points over a 30-second span to bring the River Hawks within 20-17. Hendrick knotted the game at 21-21 with a pair of free throws then put the team in front for the first time with a three 26 seconds later, and Asia Mitchell-Owens (Roxbury, Mass.) put the River Hawks up 27-21 with a traditional three-point play with 5:25 left in the frame.
 
The Retrievers climbed back within 31-28 with 3:03 on the clock, but could not get any closer and a three by Mitchell-Owens helped the River Hawks take a 40-32 advantage into the break.
 
UMass Lowell scored 28 points in the second quarter, surpassing the team's season best in any quarter, and the 40 points in the first half tied the team high in the first 20 minutes.
 
UMBC opened the third quarter on a 10-4 run to trim the deficit to 44-42 with 5:25 on the clock, following a pair of back-to-back triples. The River Hawks responded with a 11-2 run of their own to go up 55-44 with 2:45 left in the third, sparked by three points each from Gibbs, Mitchell-Owens and Hendrick.
 
The Retrievers outscored the River Hawks 15-8 in the first 5:20 to tie the game at 66-66 with 4:40 left in regulation. After Pandora Wilson and Shackelford traded baskets, Te'yjah Oliver put UMBC up for good, 71-68, with a three as the clock hit 2:06 remaining.
 
Taylor McCarley had a game-high 22 points and Tyler Moore added 18 points. The pair of Pandora Wilson and Laura Castaldo scored 14 points, while Oliver netted 10.
 
The River Hawks are back in action on Wednesday, January 25th as they host New Hampshire at 11 a.m. during UMass Lowell's annual Field Trip Day.