Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – Despite pulling within one with just over nine minutes remaining in the contest, the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (6-8, 0-1 AE) dropped an 88-77 decision against Vermont (10-5) in their America East Conference opener on Thursday evening.
 
Redshirt-senior Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) logged new career highs with 30 points and 11 field goals in the outing. He added season highs for free throws (7) and steals (4), as well.
 
"That was about as good as we've played defensively all year," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "I'll look at the tape and see how many of those shots were open, but I thought (Ernie) Duncan hit some unbelievably tough shots and even in the second half he continued. I think Vermont is the best team in the league, but we hung in there and played really well defensively against a really good team."
 
Three other River Hawks joined Thomas in double-digits on the night, as sophomore Rinardo Perry (Washington, D.C.) chipped in with 15 points, while junior Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) and senior Matt Harris (Erie, Pa.) finished with 12 and 10, respectively.
 
R. Jones drained a three for the River Hawks' first points of the night, although Vermont led by as many as seven in the opening minutes. The home team was quick to answer, though, as Thomas sparked a 6-0 spurt that included a back-door layup in transition from redshirt-junior Josh Gantz (Grove City, Ohio), to close the gap to just one at 12-11 with 13:10 remaining in the first half.
 
The River Hawks were able to make it a one-possession game twice more following a triple from R. Jones and a three-point play from Thomas before the Catamounts used an 11-4 run to extend their lead to 35-25 at 4:44. The visitors held a double-digit lead on one more occasion until Harris pulled up for a jumper, and Thomas and Perry added layups, cutting the difference back to five at 38-33 with just over a minute left in the period. However, Ernie Duncan drained a long ball in the waning seconds to send Vermont into the break with a 43-35 advantage.
 
Perry opened the second-half scoring with a one-handed slam and although UVM maintained at least a five-point buffer for the next several minutes, Thomas ignited a 12-4 stretch that was capped off by an and-1 from Perry to put the River Hawks within two at 58-56 with 10:41 still to go.
 
Just a minute later, Perry and Thomas sunk back-to-back buckets, making it just a one-point margin, 61-60, at 9:03. The home squad continued to battle and were still within two baskets inside of two minutes to play, but would not come any closer, as Vermont finished the game on a 10-3 run to seal the 88-77 outcome.
 
 
Duncan tallied a game-high 32 points to pace the Catamounts, while Drew Urquhart logged a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Thursday's contest marked the ninth meeting between UMass Lowell and Vermont in the sport of men's basketball. The Catamounts now own a 7-2 edge in the all-time series. The River Hawks are off this weekend and will return to action on Wednesday, January 10 when they visit Hartford for a 7 p.m. tilt.