Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Interview

ALBANY, N.Y. – Redshirt-junior Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) registered a game-high 26 points, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (9-15, 3-6 AE) faced a 90-77 setback at UAlbany (14-10, 5-4 AE) to open the second half of the America East slate on Wednesday evening.
 
The game went back-and-forth in the first half with the River Hawks leading for a majority of the period, but the Great Danes opened the second on a 13-3 run to take the lead for good.
 
"I thought we played one of our best halves in the first half tonight," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "But early in the second half, we just weren't ready to play, which is discouraging because we had worked so hard to get to that point. After that, the whole momentum of the game had shifted and it was tough to crawl back into the game. Albany is a really good team and they're playing really well right now, so you're going to have to play mistake free to beat them on their home floor."
 
Thomas shot 10-for-13 (76.9%) from the field in the outing, in addition to tallying a team-high seven boards. Sophomore Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) matched a career high with eight field goals en route to 18 points, while classmate Logan Primerano (Peru, Ind.) and junior Matt Harris added 11 and 10 points, respectively.  
 
The teams traded points in the opening minutes, forcing three tied scores, before Jones scored in transition and freshman Stefan Borovac (Stoney Creek, Ontario) drained a three from the corner to build a two-possession margin for the River Hawks at 14-10 with 13:09 remaining in the first half. The Great Danes were able to cut the difference back to one, but Thomas drove to the hoop for two and Primerano followed with a three from way downtown to beat the shot clock, giving the visitors a 21-15 edge at 9:34.   
 
UAlbany answered with seven consecutive to pull in front, 22-21, with less than seven to go in the half. The teams battled through six lead changes in the next four minutes until the home squad put together a 10-4 run in the waning minutes to take a 39-35 buffer into the break.
 
The Great Danes recorded 13 of the first 16 points coming out of halftime, extending their margin to 52-38 with 16:20 left to go. The River Hawks trailed by as many as 17, but Jones banked in bank-to-back layups to spark a quick, 8-3 spurt that closed the gap to 60-48 at 12:47.
 
UMass Lowell pulled within 12 once more, although the home team was able to use a 9-3 stretch to extend its advantage to 72-54 with just over eight minutes to go. Both sides would then play evenly matched with 14 points apiece before the Great Danes took their largest lead, 90-70, at 2:15. The visitors recorded the final seven points, including five from Jones, but the Great Danes secured the 90-77 decision.
 
Costa Anderson and Joe Cremo notched 24 and 23 points, respectively, for UAlbany. Travis Charles logged 15 and Greig Stire finished with 12 to round out the double-digit scorers for the team that shot 52.5 percent (32-61) on the night.
 
Wednesday's contest marked the 17th meeting between UMass Lowell and UAlbany in the sport of men's basketball. The Great Danes own a 10-7 advantage in the all-time series. The River Hawks will return to action on Saturday, February 4 when they host Binghamton beginning at 2 p.m.