Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Matt Harris (Erie, Pa.) posted a season-high 27 points as one of five double-digit scorers for the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (6-5) in an 87-82 victory against Boston University (4-5) on Wednesday evening.
 
With the win, the River Hawks snapped a four-game skid, in addition to improving to 6-1 at home this season, good for the program's best start in friendly confines since 2010-11.
 
"This was a great win for our program against a really good Boston University team," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "We got good contributions from almost everybody that played. To beat a good team like this, it needed to be a collective effort. I was really happy with the way we ran the offense and the amount of belief we had in sticking with that. I thought this was as good of a job as we've done all year running our offense."
 
Harris went a season-best, 11-for-12 from the line en route to his 27-point showing. Entering the game with 977 points, he became the 41st player in the school's history to join the prestigious 1,000 Point Club with a free throw at 7:38 in the second half.
 
Also in double figures on the night were redshirt-senior Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.), who totaled 17 points and six assists, and sophomore Rinardo Perry (Washington, D.C.), who registered 16 points and a career-high five steals. Redshirt-junior Josh Gantz (Grove City, Ohio) and junior Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) added to the offense with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
Thomas and Harris combined for the River Hawks' first 12 points of the night before junior Shawn Jones (Bridge City, La.) drove to the hoop to give the home squad a slight, 14-13 advantage with 10:17 remaining in the first half.
 
BU responded with a 13-4 run to create an eight-point buffer, but a long ball from Gantz sparked a 10-2 UMass Lowell spurt that put his squad back in front, 31-30, at 1:30 in the first. The visitors would score the final two baskets of the period, though, to take a 34-31 edge into the break.
 
The River Hawks came out of halftime firing, registering 11 of the first 13 points of the second, including four from both Perry and Thomas, to regain the upper hand, 42-36, with 16:45 left to play.
 
The teams alternated baskets until the Terriers used back-to-back layups to cut the lead to just three at 8:35. However, Harris hit a three and followed with his 1,000th career point from the foul line to spark an 11-4 run that gave the River Hawks breathing room, 69-59, with 6:24 to go.
 
UMass Lowell maintained at least a two-possession advantage the rest of the way until Cedric Hankerson knocked down a long-range jumper off a turnover, cutting the difference to just one at 81-80 with 28 seconds left on the game clock. Harris and R. Jones converted on key free throws in the waning seconds, though, to secure the decision.
 
Wednesday's contest marked the sixth meeting between UMass Lowell and Boston University in the sport of men's basketball. The all-time series is now tied, 3-3. The River Hawks will break for finals for the next 10 days before welcoming Central Connecticut State to the Tsongas Center on Saturday, December 23 for a 1 p.m. tilt.