December 4 vs. Sacred Heart (7 p.m.)
Live Stats | Watch Live | Game Notes
December 7 vs. St. Francis Brooklyn (1 p.m.)
Live Stats | Watch Live | Game Notes
LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team will wrap up an eight-game homestand with a pair of contests this week beginning on Wednesday, December 4 against Sacred Heart and concluding on Saturday, December 7 against St. Francis Brooklyn.
A WIN WOULD
A win on Wednesday would mark the River Hawks' third win in a row. It would also give the team it's third straight win against Sacred Heart after picking up a pair of victories last season. Additionally, a win would give UMass Lowell's its third win against a NEC opponent this year. Â
LAST TIME OUT
In a game that featured 19 lead changes, junior
Obadiah Noel came up clutch with the game winner in the final seconds to help UMass Lowell stave off Central Connecticut State in a 73-71 victory on Dec. 1. Tied at 71-71 with time for one-possession left on the clock, Noel drove to the hoop and banked in a layup in the final five seconds to seal the win. Noel and freshman
Connor Withers led the River Hawks with 16 points in the decision. Withers also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, while junior
Jordyn Owens dished out a personal-best seven assists. Graduate students
Josh Gantz and
Christian Lutete chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through nine games,
Christian Lutete is leading the team with 19.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Obadiah Noel follows with 15.1 points and
Josh Gantz adds 9.2. Noel and
Jordyn Owens paced the squad with 23 assists apiece, while Withers boasts a team-best eight blocks. Gantz is first on the squad with 13 steals, as well.
CLOSING IN ON A MILESTONE
Three different River Hawks are all closing in on the prestigious 1,000 Point Club.
Christian Lutete is the closest, needing just 13 points to reach the milestone.
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
The Pioneers are currently 4-4 overall in 2019-20. The team has won its two most recent outings, defeating Quinnipiac, 97-80, on Nov. 24 before taking down Pine Manor, 101-57, on Dec. 1. Koreem Ozier paces three double-digit scorers with a team-best 16.1 points per game. E.J. Anosike, who leads the team on the boards, adds a double-double average of 15.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Cameron Parker has dished out 72 assists, while Jare'l Spellman boasts 21 blocks. As a team, SHU is shooting 43.5 percent from the floor and 32.5 percent from long range.
BACK AND FORTH WE GO
The River Hawks fought through a season-high 19 lead changes to defeat CCSU on Dec. 1. The team is used to back-and-forth battles this season with four game so far featuring nine or more lead changes.
COMEBACK KIDS
The young UMass Lowell squad has shown its resiliency this season, battling back to erase double-digit deficits four times. The largest margin the team overcame was 19 points against Dartmouth on Nov. 17. The River Hawks have also won two of those four contests, most recently defeating Brown after trailing by 12 on Nov. 26.
A THREAT ON THREES
The River Hawks shot a season-best 50 percent (9-18) from beyond the arc in the win against Brown. The team is currently third in the America East from three-point range (33.8%).
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The River Hawks have started 2019-20 stronger than ever on the boards and are currently third in their conference with the program's Division I best 39.1 rebounds per game, in addition to a +2.9 rebounding margin, as well.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
This season, UMass Lowell has a record 17 home games, including an eight-game homestand. With its sixth consecutive win in a home opener this season, the team is now 133-79 in front of River Hawk Nation since 2003-04.
PLAYING AT TSONGAS
For the first time ever, all of the River Hawks home conference games will be played at Tsongas, as the team will play record 11 games in the arena this year. With a victory against CCSU in the team's Tsongas debut for 2019-20, the team is now 9-19 all time in the building.
HELPING HANDS
Jordyn Owens dished out a personal-best seven assists against CCSU on Dec. 1, setting a new single-game high for the team this season. Both Owens and Noel pace the team with 23 assists apiece in 2019-20. As a team, the River Hawks are currently ranked third in the America East with 15.2 assists per game.
NATIONAL NEWS
The River Hawks are ranked 21st in the nation for total rebounds (352) and total assists (137). Individually,
Christian Lutete is ranked 11th for total field goals (62) and 17th for total points (175).
SHARING IS CARING
A total of 11 different River Hawks scored in the win against UMass Boston, tying the program's Division I record for point scorers in a single game. A season-high five players scored in double-digits against Jacksonville and Brown, as well.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
Since beginning 2014-15, 30 of the squad's 62 wins have been decided by seven points or less. The team has also trailed in the second half in 35 games during that same time frame before battling back to earn the victories. Â
Â
