February 26 vs. UAlbany (7 p.m.)
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February 29 vs. Vermont (5:30 p.m.)
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LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team, who is 11-17 overall and 5-8 in league games, play two final regular-season home games this week. The team will first square off against UAlbany on Wednesday, February 26 before hosting Vermont Saturday, Feb. 29 for Senior Night.
A WIN WOULD
A win on Wednesday would split the season series against UAlbany. It would also mark UMass Lowell's second consecutive home win against the Great Danes. Additionally, it would give the team third win in its last four home games. Â
LAST TIME OUT
Despite erasing a double-digit deficit and knotting the score with less than a minute to play, UMass Lowell came up just short of completing the comeback in an 86-84 decision at Binghamton on Feb. 20. After trailing by 11 inside of the final five minutes, the River Hawk offense ignited for a 13-2 run that was capped off by a three from
Josh Gantz to tie the game at 80-80 with just 42 seconds on the clock. However, Sam Sessoms hit what would be the game-winner on the next possession and then helped his team seal the outcome at the foul line. Gantz had a career night with a personal-best eight field goals and 23 points.
Christian Lutete added to the offense with 18 points, while
Connor Withers chipped in with 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Obadiah Noel rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 points, as well.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through 28 games,
Christian Lutete is leading the team with 19.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Obadiah Noel follows with 18.3 points, and a team-best 48 steals and 80 assists.
Connor Withers adds 8.8 points and boasts a team-best 33 blocks, as well.
SCOUTING UALBANY
The Great Danes, who have dropped three of their last four games, own a 14-14 overall record and a 7-6 mark in league games so far. Last week, the team fell, 69-50, against UMBC on Feb. 20 and 68-56 against New Hampshire on Feb. 22. Ahmad Clark leads the team with 16.6 points per game, in addition to totaling 109 assists and 38 steals. Romani Hansen is first on the team with 5.8 rebounds per game and 23 blocks. As a unit, UAlbany is shooting 40.9 percent from the field, including 32.6 percent from long range.
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
The River Hawks are heating up at the right time, having won two of their last three games with just three to play in the regular season. The team has shot an average of 48 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the line in the last three games, while forcing an average of 14 turnovers.
ONE FINAL PUSH
Graduate student
Josh Gantz is coming down to the wire on a six-year career, but he is not going quietly. He turned in a personal-best 23 points on eight field goals at Binghamton on Feb. 20 and is just 23 more points away from joining the 1,000 Career Point Club.
LUCKY 7
With the wins against Maine (2.12) and Hartford (2.15), the River Hawks reached double-digit wins for the seventh consecutive season since the squad transitioned to Division I.
NOT WITHERING AWAY
Connor Withers is finishing out his freshman campaign strong, averaging 17.7 points in the last three games, including a season-high 20 points at Hartford on Feb. 15 en route to his second America East Rookie of the Week nod this year.
CLOSING IN ON A MILESTONE
Christian Lutete needs just 31 more points to take over the top spot on the program's Division I record list for points in a season from
Jahad Thomas (570, 2017-18).
CONSISTENT IS HIS MIDDLE NAME
Ron Mitchell has not missed a free throw since Jan. 4 at UMBC. He has gone 19-for-19 at the line in his last 11 appearances.
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
The River Hawks have been most successful this year when jumping out to an early advantage. The team is 9-2 so far when taking a lead into halftime.
PERFECT 10
Obadiah Noel logged 25 points at Hartford on Feb. 15 to surpass
Christian Lutete for the program's longest 10+ point streak at the Division I level. He has now scored in double digits for 22 straight games.
SHARP SHOOTERS
The River Hawks, who are first in the league shooting 45.3 percent from the floor, have shot better than 45 percent on field goals 14 times this season, including a 59.3 percent clip against St. Francis Brooklyn. Three players are shooting over 50 percent individually.
BACK AND FORTH WE GO
The team is used to back-and-forth battles this season with 11 games featuring nine or more lead changes, most recently with nine at Hartford on Feb. 15. The River Hawks fought through a season-high 19 lead changes in the win against CCSU on Dec. 1.
FREE IS FOR ME
UMass Lowell set a new season high with 25 made free throws twice, most recently vs. Maine on Feb. 12. Against Hartford on Jan. 8, the team shot 89 percent from the charity stripe. After shooting 70 percent from the line during the non-conference schedule, the team is currently boasting a 75 percent clip during conference play.
HELPING HANDS
Jordyn Owens dished out a career-high nine assists at Maine (1.15) to set a new single-game best for the team this season. Obadial Noel paces the squad with 80 assists in 2019-20. As a team, the River Hawks are currently ranked first in the America East with 14.71 assists per game.
STEALING THE SHOW
After going more than a year without logging double-digit steals, the River Hawks have already done so in five games this season, most recently against UMBC on Feb. 8. The team is currently first in its conference with 7.14 steals per game.
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 and a 7-8 record so far this year, the team is now 137-84 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 and sitting at 4-5 in the building this year, the team is now 12-24 all time in Tsongas.
