January 30 vs UAlbany (2 p.m.)
Live Stats | Watch Live (ESPN+) | Game Notes (PDF)
 
January 31 vs UAlbany (1 p.m.)
Live Stats | Watch Live (ESPN+) | Game Notes (PDF)
Twitter: @RiverHawkWBB | @RiverHawkNation

LOWELL, MASS. -- The River Hawks, who are 8-5 overall and 7-3 in America East play so far this year, return to action following a 14-day break when they host UAlbany for a weekend series at Costello Athletic Center.
 
#AEHOOPS UPDATE
On January 24, the conference announced that it has reworked the schedule and will release it in two-week increments for the rest of the season. The change was made in order to maximize scheduling flexibility to best position programs in light of COVID-19 issues (Release). Any schedule changes will be announced on Twitter @AEHoopsNews. The conference also released that the Vermont women's basketball team has made the decision to discontinue its season. The decision was made by the student-athletes with the full support of their coaches, athletic department and the conference.
 
SCOUTING UALBANY
The Great Danes come to Lowell with a 3-3 record in league play and 4-6 record overall. The squad is currently riding a two-game streak after sweeping New Hampshire on Jan. 23 (59-47) & 24 (63-50). Sophomore Helene Haegerstrand leads UAlbany with 11.0 points per game. Junior Ellen Hahne is posting a team-best 7.5 rebounds to rank second in the league, while junior forward Lucia Decortes posts nine blocks to sit in fourth place. As a team, UAlbany is putting up 54.1 points a game, while shooting 39.1 percent (198-507) from the field, including 31.5 percent (53-168) from beyond the arc and 67.2 percent (92-137) from the line.
 
WINS WOULD...
A pair of wins against the Great Danes would be Lowell's third series sweep of the 2020-21 season, improving their mark to 10-5 overall and 9-3 in conference action.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore forward Denise Solis matched her season-high of 16 points, as the UMass Lowell women's basketball team battled to earn a 59-49 victory against Binghamton on Jan. 16 at Costello Athletic Center. Also, in double figures on the day was senior Tiahna Sears who totaled 10 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Jaliena Sanchez added to the offense with nine points and a team-high three assists and three steals.
 
The following day, despite outscoring the visiting team in the second half, the squad was tripped up by Binghamton, 67-63, on Sunday afternoon. The River Hawks, who trailed by as many as 11 in the outing, closed the gap back to just one inside of the last two minutes but were unable to come any closer.
 
Jaliena Sanchez posted a team-high 16 points and four assists. Tiahna Sears followed closely with 12 points, while junior Kharis Idom rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points. Sophomore Shamyjha Price paced her squad for the fifth time this season with eight rebounds, as well.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK  
Through nine games in 2020-21, three different River Hawks have bounced between top rankings. Guard Kharis Idom leads the charge over the past few weeks, averaging 10.6 points per game. Jaliena Sanchez follows closely behind with 10.1 ppg and a team-best 3.2 assists per game, to place fifth in the conference. Denise Solis rounds out the double-digit scorers, averaging 10.0 points on the season and a team-best 1.1 blocks. Senior Tiahna Sears boasts a team-high 6.4 rebounds, good for seventh in the league. As a whole, UMass Lowell is shooting 36 percent (263-721) from the floor, 28 percent (61-217) from beyond the arc, and 66 percent (160-240) from the foul line.
 
TURNING MISTAKES INTO POINTS
Despite dropping their second contest to the Bearcats, UMass Lowell still managed to match their season-high with 22 points off of turnovers. Seven River Hawks came away with at least one steal in the outing.
 
DOUBLE THE DIGITS
Tiahna Sears has recorded multi-point efforts in four-straight games for the River Hawks this season. After matching her career-high of 17 points at Hartford on Jan. 9, the senior forward logged an additional 47 points over the next three.
 
NEW YEAR, NEW US
Since ringing in the new year, UMass Lowell has picked up five wins in the month of January. The River Hawks recorded their first series sweep against conference-newcomer NJIT on Jan. 2 & 3, followed by their most recent victory against Binghamton on Jan. 16.
 
SHARP SHOOTING
In the weekend sweep over Hartford, the River Hawks set a new season-high of 28 made field goals. Tiahna Sears matched her personal-best of 17 points, shooting 8-for-10 in the paint to top her career-high.
 
LOW POINTS
The River Hawks limited Hartford to just five points in the third quarter on Jan. 9. That marks the fourth time under head coach Tom Garrick that UMass Lowell has held an opponent to five points or less in a quarter - the most recent was last season against Binghamton, holding the Bearcats to only four points in the opening stanza.
 
FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT
The River Hawks saw a season-high 13 steals in the victory over the Highlanders. Seven of nine River Hawks came away with at least one steal in the win.
 
SOLIS FROM THE START
So far in 2020-21, the River Hawks have gone 7-1 after winning the opening tip, with Denise Solis being in the center of it all. The 6í1 forward has won 25 of 41 openers for a 61 percent average over her career.
 
DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
Tiahna Sears and Denise Solis are the only two River Hawks to have recorded a double-double this season. Sears posted 14 points and 11 rebounds in the recent victory over NJIT, while Solis had a team-best 16 points and 12 rebounds against Vermont.
 
SEARS DOWN UNDER
After Tiahna Sears posted her first double-double (14 pts., 11 rebs.) of the season, the senior from Bunbury, Australia, matched her season-high of 11 rebounds the following day to move her up the conference ranks. She currently sits in seventh place overall with 6.4 rebounds.
 
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Denise Solis saw plenty of action during her first year in a River Hawk uniform. The 6í1 forward was the only River Hawk to start in all 31 games for an average of 26.8 minutes per game. She has continued her run into her sophomore season, making a start in all 13 games to average 27.6 minutes.
 
LINE EM UP
Out of their 13 games, the River Hawks have used four different starting lineup combinations, their most common comprising of Jaliena Sanchez, Kharis Idom, Denise Solis, Shamyjha Price and Tiahna Sears. Idom and Solis are the only players to have collected 13 starts on the season.