Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – Redshirt-junior Christian Lutete (Silver Spring, Md.) logged a career-high 34 points to help lift the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (7-7) to a 97-79 victory against Loyola (Md.) (4-8) in the team's final game before the holiday break on Friday evening.
 
With the decision, the River Hawks have set a new program record for non-conference wins at the Division I level. The team also remains undefeated at home this year, improving to 5-0 so far.
 
"That was an awesome performance by our guys," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "I just told them I was really proud of them. I think sometimes you need to self-reflect, and we weren't perfect, but in the six years I've been here, that's as good of a game as we've played collectively on both sides of the floor. Defensively we were good, we were consistent, we communicated, and offensively, we shared the ball as well as we ever have."
 
As a team, the River Hawks shot over 60 percent for the second time this season led by Lutete, who shot a personal-best, 12-for-18 in the performance. Sophomore Obadiah Noel (Frederick, Md.) added 16 points and a season-high nine rebounds, while tying a career best with five assists. Senior Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) and freshman Alex Rivera (Lowell, Mass.) chipped in with 13 points apiece, and redshirt-senior Josh Gantz (Grove City, Ohio) totaled 10.
 
The offense for both sides went to work right away, trading baskets with five quick lead changes in the opening four minutes before Noel knocked down a jumper from beyond the arc to spark nine unanswered points, giving the River Hawks a 20-12 advantage with 11:58 remaining in the first half.
 
UMass Lowell used back-to-back buckets from Lutete and freshman Bryce Daley (Pittsfield, Mass.), and four points from Rivera to take their first double-digit lead of the night, 28-16, at 8:35. The Greyhounds would mount a 14-4 run to make it a one-possession game at 32-30 with less than five minutes left in the period. However, Noel registered four points coming out of the under-four media timeout to ignite an 11-1 spurt, as the squad regained a 12-point margin. Lutete was then able to grab his own rebound off of a free throw and beat the buzzer with a layup to send the River Hawks into the break on top, 45-35.
 
Coming out of halftime, Loyola outscored its host, 13-7, to make it a four-point game, but the River Hawks responded with a 15-4 stretch that included a big three from Gantz, giving the squad their largest lead yet at 67-52 with 10:09 still to go.
 
The Greyhounds found themselves within nine once more, but UMass Lowell continued to pressure on offense, leading by as many as 23 in the final minutes thanks to another triple from Gantz before sealing the 97-79 victory.
 
The River Hawks, who now own a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series against Loyola, will return to action after the holiday break when they visit Sacred Heart for a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday, December 29.