February 26 at UAlbany (7 p.m.)        
ESPN + | Stats | Game Notes
 
February 29 at Vermont (2 p.m.)
ESPN3 | Stats                                                        
 
LOWELL, Mass. -- The UMass Lowell women's basketball team concludes the regular season with a pair of roads games, first heading out to UAlbany for a Wednesday night matchup with the Great Danes, followed by a 2 p.m. game with Vermont on Saturday.
 
LOOKING AT UMASS LOWELL
After dropping their most recent contest to Binghamton, 62-58, the River Hawks fall to 13-14 overall and 9-5 in the America East. Posting her 16th straight contest scoring double-digits, lone sophomore Kharis Idom dominates the offensive end with 11.3 points on the season, shooting 35 percent from the field. Freshman Jaliena Sanchez ranks second with 9.1 points, while consistent starter Denise Solis has knocked down 63 free throws for an average of 3.7 per game. Senior Bri Stiers paces the defense, posting 5.6 rebounds to lead all River Hawks. As a unit, UMass Lowell is shooting 35 percent from the field and 65 percent from the line. 
 
SCOUTING UALBANY
Entering Wednesday's contest, the Great Danes post a 9-18 overall record and 5-9 in the AE, falling in their third-straight conference game to New Hampshire 56-53. Senior Alexi Schecter is leading the squad in points, averaging 11.9 per game, while Amanda Kantzy has been picking up 6.8 boards per game. Kyara Frames dishes out a team-high 3.3 assists per game, while Helene Haegerstrand is shooting 35 percent from the three. As a unit, UAlbany has been knocking down 66 percent of their shots from the line. 
 
SCOUTING VERMONT
Falling to UMBC in their third-straight conference game as well, the Catamounts will enter Saturday's contest with a 12-16 overall record and 6-9 in the America East. Senior forward Hanna Crymble leads Vermont in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.5 points and eight rebounds per game. Josie Larkins contributes 13 points per game, while Emma Utterback has dished out 3.1 assists per game. The Catamounts as a unit are shooting 31 percent from outside the arc and 73 percent from the line.
 
LAST TIME OUT
An even balance of scoring and defensive effort, every River Hawk that hit the court recorded at least one rebound and two points despite the loss to Binghamton last Wednesday night. Idom lead the charge with 14 points, while Denise Solis added 11 points and six rebounds. Despite a free throw attempt by freshman Kaylen Banwareesingh's, equalizing the score 56-56 with two minutes to go, Binghamton would continue to trim the gap over the final seconds off free throws from Kai Moon, ending the contest at 62-58.
 
OH, HOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED
Staring the season 0-7, the River Hawks have bounced-back with their wins over all but one America East opponent (Stony Brook) to start conference play with a solid 9-5 record for the first time in Division I history. UMass Lowell last saw opening conference wins against Palm Beach Atlantic (84-76 2OT), Southern New Hampshire (96-82) and Southern Connecticut (77-74) back in the 2012-13 season where the River Hawks ran out on a nine-game win streak.
 
STREAKS AND SWEEPS   
For the first time since joining Division I the River Hawks ended multiple losing streaks against America East opponents; New Hampshire, UAlbany and Maine, including their first series sweep over the Wildcats and Hawks.
 
BIRDS EYE VIEW
UMass Lowell was spotted last in the preseason poll with only twelve points compared to the top contender, Maine, with 64 points. After their seven-game streak the River Hawks now sit in third place just behind Stony Brook and reigning America East champs, Maine.
 
SWEET 16
Kharis Idom picked up 14 points in the most recent contest against Binghamton to lead all River Hawks for the 10th time this season. She has now recorded double digits in 16 straight games.
 
FROM THE FIELD
Despite their loss to Binghamton the River Hawks shot their best, 45.5 percent from the field with Denise Solis knocking down five of eight attempts.
 
A DIME A DOZEN
Matching her career-high of seven assists in the win over Hartford, Sanchez is averaging a team-best 3.1 dimes per game this season. As a unit the River Hawks secured a season-high with 18 assists on 22 made field goals in the battle against Hartford (1.8).
 
WATCH THOSE HANDS
As a unit the River Hawks sit at the top of the conference standings in steals per game with 8.63 on the season. Both Jaliena Sanchez and Kharis Idom rank individually, with Sanchez recording 2.0 for third place, while Idom comes in at number eight with 1.6 per game.
 
FIRST HALF SUCCESS = WINS
UMass Lowell has found its way into the win column more times than not when having a strong first half effort. The River Hawks are 7-1 when leading at the break.
 
COOL UNDER PRESSURE
In the contests against UMBC and Stony Brook the River Hawks saw a season low of nine turnovers. The two games mark the first time this season the squad recorded a single-digit performance.
 
FREE POINTS
In the win against UNH six different River Hawks registered points from the free throw line for the team's best performance of the season, draining 33 collectively. Bri Stiers and Tiahna Sears each went 4-for-4 in the first quarter to lead all River Hawks.
 
'TWAS A WHILE AGO
With their game-high of 33 made free throws against UNH the River Hawks were able to top their performance from the 1992 season. On January 15, 1992 the River Hawks notched a record-high 31 made free throws to defeat Bridgeport, 88-74.
 
PROTECT THE HOUSE
Bri Stiers currently leads the team with 5.5 rebounds per game for the River Hawks, which ranks 14th among America East players. Denise Solis leads the offensive end with 2.1 rebounds per game and is 10th in the conference, helping the squad earn the third spot overall with 13.2 offensive rebounds per game.
 
SNEAKY SANCHEZ
Jaliena Sanchez set a new personal-best, recording eight steals in the win against Maine. She now joins four other River Hawks tied for second place for single-game leaders in steals. The last time this happened was during the 2012-13 season where Bianca Simmons snagged eight in the 73-62 win against St. Anslem.
 
DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
In both victories over UMBC and FDU, three different River Hawks tallied first-career double-doubles. Tiahna Sears (17 pts, 10 rebs) and Kharis Idom (15 pts, 11 rebs) each posted multi-point efforts in the 75-64 win against UMBC, while Denise Solis grabbed 21 points and 14 rebounds in the overtime victory against FDU, including the game-tying free throws. Solis is the first rookie River Hawk to notch a double-double, since the 2008-09 season where Bianca Simmons posted 28 points and 12 rebounds in the 73-64 win over Le Moyne.
 
CONNECT FOUR
In six contests this season, five different River Hawks have found themselves in double-digit point territory.
Massachusetts: Solis (17), Price (11) Sanchez (10), Rolling (10)
Yale: Rolling (16), Sanchez (12), Solis (10), Willis (10)
Cornell: Solis (14), Price (11), Sanchez (10), Rolling (10)
FDU: Solis (21), Sanchez (18), Idom (11), Rolling (10)
Maine: Solis (12), Stiers (12), Sanchez (11), Idom (11)
Binghamton: Idom (14), Sanchez (12), Solis (11), Banwareesingh (10)
 
FINDING THE RIGHT COMBO
UMass Lowell has used ten different starting lineup combinations since kicking-off the 2019-20 season, with Denise Solis being consistent through all 27 games. Most recently the team has seen appearances from rookies Shamyjha Price and Kaylen Banwareesingh.