January 4 vs. Vermont (7 p.m.)
Game Notes | Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats | Buy Tickets
Radio
River Hawk Radio Network: (980AM WCAP)
Talent: Nick Anastos (Play-by-Play), Matt Langone (Analyst)
TV
ESPN3
Talent: Chris Villani (Play-by-Play), Jim Borodawka (Analyst)
Twitter: @RiverHawkMBB | @RiverHawkNation
LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team is set to kick off America East Conference play against 2016-2017 Champion Vermont on Thursday evening, January 4, at Costello Athletic Center.
PARKING NOTICE
Due to the expected winter weather on Thursday, all patrons are asked to park in the North Campus Garage off of Spark St. in Lowell.
A WIN WOULD
A win on Thursday would mark the River Hawks' fourth consecutive victory in their America East opener. It would also give the team its first win against Vermont since 2015-16 when UMass Lowell swept the home-and-home series. Lastly, it would improve the River Hawks' home record to 7-2 this season, marking their best performace in friendly confines since 2012-13.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
UMass Lowell's six-game November homestand marked the most consecutive home games for the program since 2003-04 (7). In 2017-18, the team has more home games than ever before at the Division I level (16). Including a 6-2 record this season, the River Hawks have accumulated a 119-66 mark in front of River Hawk Nation since 2003-04. Â
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The difference in the team's performance when playing at home vs. on the road this season has been apparent. The River Hawks are boasting a +9.1 scoring margin at home, compared to a -15.8 margin in road games. They also have a +0.1 rebounding margin on their home court with a -7.6 margin away from home. The team has taken care of the ball at home too, with a +4.0 turnover margin compared to a -2.2 margin on the road.
LAST TIME OUT
Redshirt-junior
Josh Gantz posted a season-high 16 points in an 82-53 loss for UMass Lowell at Big Ten foe Wisconsin on Dec. 30. Gantz shot 7-for-14 from the field in the outing, while adding three steals. Senior
Matt Harris chipped in with 14 points, including four jumpers from beyond the arc. Redshirt-senior
Jahad Thomas, who totaled nine points, brought down four rebounds and six assists, as well. The teams were tied twice in the early minutes before the Badgers used an 18-3 run to pull ahead for good late in the first half.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through 13 games,
Jahad Thomas is pacing the River Hawks with 18.2 points and 8.2 rebounds. He also boasts team-best marks for assists (38) and steals (18).
Matt Harris (14.0),
Ryan Jones (10.8) and
Rinardo Perry (10.3) round out the team's scorers in double-digits.
Josh Gantz, who is shooting 48.1 (38-79) from the field, is first with 14 blocks. As a team, the River Hawks are shooting 45.1 percent (342-758) from the field, 35.8 percent (96-268) from long range and 71.8 percent (227-316) from the foul line.
SCOUTING VERMONT
The Catamounts, who are currently 9-5 on the season, head into conference play having won their two most recent outings. Earlier this week on Jan. 2, Vermont picked up a 62-56 road win at Harvard after defeating Quinnipiac, 80-73, at home on Dec. 21. Anthony Lamb, the team's leader in points (16.8), rebounds (6.0) and blocks (13), will miss the game due to an injury. Trae Bell-Haynes and Ernie Duncan have added to the offense this season with 12.0 and 11.1 points per game, respectively. Payton Henson is averaging 10.8 points with 5.3 rebounds per game, as well. As a team, Vermont is shooting 47.7 percent (358-750) from the field, 41.0 percent (119-290) from long range and 74.4 percent (212-285) from the foul line.
GAINS FOR GANTZ
Josh Gantz has come on strong as of late. After averaging 5.5 points per game through the first eight games of the year, he has averaged 10.4 in the last five, including a season-high 16 points at Wisconsin on Dec. 30. Additionally, 21 of his 31 assists this year have come in the most recent five outings, and his three-point field goal percentage has improved from 25 percent (4-16) to 47 percent (7-15).
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SWEET SPOT
The River Hawks are ranked second in the conference for free throws made (227) and fourth for free throw percentage (71.8)Â through 13 games. Individually,
Matt Harris is 27th in the nation with an 89.8 percent clip (44-49) from the line, while Harris (vs. BU, 12.13) and
Obadiah Noel (at Wagner, 12.5) have each drained a season-high 11 free throws in a single game.
OFFENSIVE STATE OF MIND
The River Hawks continue to boast a powerful offense, as they are third in the conference right now with an average of 77.5 points per game and fourth with a 45.1 field goal percentage.
UNDER CONTROL
With just 13.9 turnovers per game, the River Hawks have been taking care of the ball this season. The team is second in the league with a +1.62 turnover margin.
STEALING THE SHOW
On Dec. 13,
Rinardo Perry became the first River Hawk to log five steals in a game since
Mark Cornelius did so on Nov. 18, 2015. As a team, the River Hawks, who totaled 11 takeaways in the Nov. 19 win against Cornell, rank second in the league in steals per game (7.0).
A DIFFERENCE ON DEFENSE
UMass Lowell has made defense its top priority in 2017-18 and the difference is clear. The team set a new program Division I record with 56 rebounds, in addition to tying the record for blocks with eight against UMass Boston on Nov. 12. Against Cornell on Nov. 19, the team forced a season-high 22 turnovers. The River Hawks are currently ranked second in the America East and 70th in the nation with 15.5 turnovers forced per game.
BLOCK PARTY
The River Hawks are currently averaging their most blocks per game (3.2) since 2012-13 (3.4). They are also third in the America East right now, led by
Josh Gantz with 1.1 per game.
HELPING HANDS
One key to the River Hawks' balanced scoring has always been their ability to share the basketball, as witnessed by the team's season-high 20 helpers dished out against CCSU on Dec. 23. The squad is fourth in the America East rankings with 14.7 assists per game.
SHARING IS CARING
A total of 10 different River Hawks found the basket in the team's outing at Brown on Dec. 9, marking the most team members that have contributed to the offense in a game since Dec. 6, 2016 at Sacred Heart (10). The Division I program record is 11 point scorers (vs. BU, 12/10/15). Four different River Hawks have logged at least one 20-point performance this season, good for 26th in the nation.
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