Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – Despite erasing a 19-point deficit to force overtime, the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (2-5) fell, 80-75, against Dartmouth (4-1) to wrap up the first ever River Hawk Invitational on Sunday.
 
With the River Hawks down by three after a layup from freshman Connor Withers (Manassas, Va.) inside of the final minute of regulation, rookie Ron Mitchell (Philadelphia, Pa.) pulled up from the top of the key to knot the score at 67-67 with 19 seconds on the clock. The Big Green had the last shot, but the UMass Lowell defense got the stop to force overtime.
 
The home team took its first lead of the night almost two minutes into the extra period before graduate student Christian Lutete (Silver Spring, Md.) hit a three from the corner to give his team a 75-71 edge. However, free throws proved to be the difference, as Dartmouth sealed the decision.
 
"Back at it again, it seems like déjà vu three days in a row of almost identical results," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "It was a tough weekend, I'm not going to lie. We have to learn how to win. I think we were the only team in the whole tournament that could've won all three games. Each of the other teams lost a lop-sided game, so if there is anything we can hang our hat on, I guess it's that."
 
Mitchell led four double-digit scorers for the River Hawks with a season-high 17 points, while graduate student Josh Gantz (Grove City, Ohio) added 16. Juniors Obadiah Noel (Frederick, Md.) and Jordyn Owens (Montclair, N.J.) chipped in with 15 and 10 points, respectively.  
 
The Big Green jumped on top early and was able to stretch its lead to 25-10 with 11:32 to play in the first. Threes from Noel and Gantz bookended a 10-2 River Hawk spurt that chipped away at the difference and made it a seven-point game, but Dartmouth matched the run with one of their own and would take a 39-25 edge in to the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, the teams traded baskets, as the Big Green stretched its lead to as many as 19 at 48-29. The visitors would maintain a double-digit buffer until Mitchell sparked the 24-5 run that was capped off by his game-tying bucket.
 
Following the completion of the tournament, Lutete was named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Dave Bell (MVP) and Kevin Norman from Jacksonville, Juvaris Hayes from Merrimack and Chris Knight from Dartmouth.
 
The River Hawks are now off for nine days, but will continue their eight-game homestand against Brown on Tuesday, November 26 at 5 p.m.