LOWELL, Mass. – Freshman Connor Withers (Manassas, Va.) totaled a game- and season-high 17 points to pace four double-digit scorers for the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (10-16, 4-7 AE) in a gritty, 71-63, victory against Maine (7-18, 3-8 AE) on Wednesday evening.
 
After teams were tied for the sixth time in the second half at 54-54 with less than seven minutes to play, freshman Ron Mitchell (Philadelphia, Pa.) drained a three to give the River Hawks the lead for good. And even though the visitors fought to cut the difference to just one with four minutes remaining, a dunk by junior Obadiah Noel (Frederick, Md.) then propelled the home team to score 12 of the last 17 points for the win.
 
"This was a real quality win," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "I'm really happy for our guys. It hasn't come easy for us these past few games, but this was a great win. Maine is a tough team. They are tough to play against and physically tough. I thought our guys found a way to win even though we didn't shoot the ball particularly well. We were able to do that because we got some key rebounds and some tough defensive play down the stretch."
 
Withers knocked down a personal-best three, three-point field goals in the decision. Mitchell chipped in with 16 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Sophomore Allin Blunt (Bowie, Md.) matched a career best with 12 points, as well, while Noel rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11.
 
Back-to-back buckets from Withers opened the scoring in the contest, as the River Hawks quickly built a six-point edge. Maine battled back, but the home team held onto the upper hand early, including at 14-11 thanks to a jumper from Mitchell with 11:13 remaining in the first half.
 
However, the Black Bears followed with 11 unanswered points to pull ahead, 22-14, at 5:52. Graduate student Christina Lutete (Silver Spring, Md.) snapped almost six minutes of silence for UMass Lowell before Withers added a pair of threes to spark a 12-4 run that was capped off by an and-1 from Blunt to knot the score at 28-28 with less than two minutes to play in the first. The board was even twice more, but Noel converted at the line in the waning seconds, sending his squad into the break up, 34-32.
 
Coming out of halftime, the visitors recorded the first four points to tilt the board in their favor, although the River Hawks answered with an 11-4 stretch with the help of consecutive threes from Withers, Lutete and Mitchell to pull ahead, 45-40, with 13:47 still to go. The teams traded baskets, as six of the game's nine ties came in the second half, until the River Hawks pulled ahead for good.
 
UMass Lowell leads the all-time series against Maine, 11-5. The River Hawks will now head to Hartford on Saturday, February 15 for a 2 p.m. tilt.