February 1 at UAlbany (7 p.m.)
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ALBANY, N.Y. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team, who is currently 9-14 overall and 3-5 in America East action in 2016-17, will open the second half of the league schedule at UAlbany on Wednesday, February 1 at 7 p.m.  

LAST TIME OUT
Freshman Rinardo Perry logged a team- and season-high 16 points to lead the UMass Lowell men's basketball team to a 97-73, non-conference victory against Fisher College (14-8) on Saturday afternoon, January 28, at Costello. The win snapped a four-game skid for the River Hawks. Perry, who tallied a personal-best three, three-pointers and five assists on the day, was one of five scorers in double figures for the squad. Senior Tyler Livingston totaled 13 points, while redshirt-junior Jahad Thomas, sophomore Ryan Jones and freshman Cameron Wolter chipped in with 10 points each. Jones registered a career-best seven assists, as well. As a team, UMass Lowell shot a season-high 15 three-point field goals.

LEADING THE FLOCK
Through 23 games in 2016-17, Jahad Thomas leads the squad with 17.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, 106 assists and 32 steals. Thomas is one of four River Hawks scoring in double figures this season, as Tyler Livingston follows with 13.7 points per game, and Ryan Jones and junior Matt Harris chip in with 11.6 and 11.1, respectively. Livingston is first on the team with 60 three-pointers and eight blocks in 2016-17, while Harris boasts a 93.8 percent clip (60-64) from the line. Sophomore Logan Primerano, who adds 7.0 points per game, totals seven blocks on the year, as well. As a whole, UMass Lowell is shooting 48.0 percent (645-1343) from the floor, 38.1 percent (185-485) from beyond the arc and 76.3 percent (326-427) from the foul line.

SCOUTING UALBANY
The Great Danes own a 13-10 overall record this season and a 4-4 mark in America East play after having won four of their last five outings. The squad split a pair of decisions last week, first facing a 60-49 setback at home against Vermont on Jan. 25 before picking up a 74-61 victory at Hartford on Jan. 28. David Nichols and Joe Cremo are first on the squad with 17.0 and 16.7 points per game, respectively. Cremo also totals 85 assists on the year to lead the squad. Greig Stire, who chips in with 7.3 points, boasts a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game. The Great Danes are shooting 47.1 percent (607-1290) from the floor and 35.0 percent (111-317) from three-point range.

A WIN WOULD
A win against UAlbany would bring the River Hawks within one game of the Great Danes lead in the all-time series that currently sits at 9-7. It would also give the River Hawks their first ever home-and-home season sweep against UAlbany. It would also be the River Hawks' first conference win since Jan. 14 against Hartford.   

WEEKLY AWARDS
Rinardo Perry received his first ever America East award when he was named Rookie of the Week on Jan. 30. Jahad Thomas has earned Player of the Week three times this year.

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 (43 vs. Assumption). The team is currently shooting 76.3 percent (326-427) from the charity stripe, good for first in the conference. Individually, Matt Harris, who was perfect through the first five games of the season, is leading the way for the league and is third in the nation with 93.8 percent clip (60-64) on free throws.

UNDER CONTROL
The River Hawks have improved from averaging 17.6 turnovers per game during non-conference play to 13.3 turnovers in league action.

A DISH BEST SERVED BY THOMAS
Jahad Thomas dished out his 100th assist of the season at New Hampshire on Jan. 25. With 106 on the year, he has already set a new personal best and has logged the most helpers in a single season since 2010-11 (Robbie Walton, 119).

HIGH SCORING AFFAIRS
The River Hawks, who posted a season-high 98 points at Cornell, have become accustomed to high-scoring games. After averaging a league-best 76.6 points per game in 2015-16,  the team is averaging 78.3 points per game to sit second in the conference.

ON TARGET
The River Hawks have consistently taken the right shots, having gone at least 50.0 percent from the floor already nine times this season. The team is second in the conference right now, shooting 48.0 percent overall. Jahad Thomas, who is first overall in the league and 24th in the nation, owns a 60.3 percent clip (155-257) from the field. UMass Lowell has outshot its opponent in 14 of its 23 games thus far.

SENIOR STANDOUT
Tyler Livingston is leaving his mark in his final campaign with the best season of his career so far. After averaging no more than 7.4 points per game in a season previously, he is currently second on the squad with 13.7 points per game in 2016-17.

HELPING HANDS
One key to the River Hawks' balanced scoring is their ability to share the basketball. This year, the squad is averaging 16.2 assists per game to lead the America East. Jahad Thomas is fourth among active career leaders in the America East with 240 helpers.

HOARDING THE BOARDS
With a Division I-high 53 boards in the team's win against Hartford on Jan. 14, the squad logged its most rebounds in a game since 2012 (52 vs. Bentley). The team has already pulled down at least 40 rebounds in seven games, exceeding the number of times that it did so all of last season. Jahad Thomas, who leads the league with 9.5 total rebounds and 7.1 defensive rebounds per game, ranks second among active career leaders in the America East with a total of 574.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
The River Hawks' thrilling, last-second victories against BU (77-75) and Cornell (98-96) marked the team's smallest margin of victory this year. The team is familiar with close games, though, as 12 of the 22 total decisions so far this season have come down to 10 points or less. Since beginning 2014-15, 19 of the squad's 31 wins have been decided by seven points or less. The team has even trailed in the second half in 20 games during that time frame before battling back to earn the victories.  

EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES
Having such a young team means everyone has to play a role. In 15 of the team's games so far, at least four players have scored in double figures, with five River Hawks boasting over 10 points in six games, including back-to-back outings against Loyola and Cornell.

A THREAT ON THREES
UMass Lowell has been strong from beyond the arc in recent years under Duquette's tutelage. The River Hawks are third in the America East right now, shooting 38.1 percent (185-485) from long range this year, including a season-high 15 makes against Fisher on Jan. 28. Tyler Livingston, who is currently first on the team with 60 makes, logged a career-high seven threes on Nov. 26 against LIU Brooklyn.

ROAD WARRIORS
The River Hawks play 17 of their 31 games in 2016-17 away from friendly confines, including five of their first six. With just two wins on the road this year, UMass Lowell has accumulated an 90-115 road record since 2003-04.