Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – Seniors Matt Harris (Erie, Pa.) and Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) led all scorers with 23 and 22 points, respectively, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (5-2) faced an 87-80 setback against Sacred Heart (3-4) in the final game of a six-game homestand on Wednesday evening at Costello.
 
"This was a tough loss for us tonight after putting together five wins in a row," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "We let this one slip away a little bit. I thought there was an opportunity, if we played the right way, to come away with another win. There was a great crowd, so we were really happy to have the students come out to support us like that. Sacred Heart played well, but we need to get back, watch the tape, see what we did well and didn't do well to learn from it."
 
Harris matched season highs with 23 total points and seven made free throws in the contest. Both Harris and Thomas were two of the four River Hawks who finished with a team-best five rebounds. Sophomore Rinardo Perry (Washington, D.C.) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the squad with 12 points of his own.
 
The Pioneers won the opening tip and scored the first points of the game, but the River Hawks jumped in front early with the help of a 16-3 run that included back-to-back threes from Harris and a fast-break layup by junior Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.). The home squad led by as many as 11 until Sacred Heart scored 11 in a row take the upper hand at 21-19 with nine minutes remaining in the first half.
 
Thomas snapped four scoreless minutes for UMass Lowell and Perry sunk a pair of buckets, as the sides were tied on two occasions before Harris drained a three from way downtown to spark an 11-2 spurt, giving his squad a 37-30 advantage at 1:11. The Pioneers would score five of the last seven points in the half, but UMass Lowell held on to lead 39-35 at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, SHU used a 15-2 run to create a 50-41 lead with 14:04 left to play. Thomas answered with three straight buckets to close the gap to three, however, Mario Matasovic would do the same later in the period to put the visitors ahead, 66-57, at 5:38.
 
The Pioneers took their largest lead of the night at 73-60 with less than three minutes to go, but the River Hawks battled back with eight points in a row, including four from redshirt-sophomore Connor Bennett (Wilmington, Mass.), to close the gap to just five. The home team continued to fight down the stretch, coming within four points of the lead twice in the last minute, although SHU would hold on for the decision.
 
Joseph Lopez led Sacred Heart with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. Three other Pioneers scored in double figures, as well.
 
Wednesday's contest marked the 43rd meeting between UMass Lowell and Sacred Heart. The Pioneers lead the all-time series, 25-18. The River Hawks will now hit the road for the first time since the season opener when they begin a three-game road swing at NJIT on Sunday, December 3. Tipoff for that ESPN3 contest is slated for 2 p.m.