HARTFORD, Conn. – For the first time this season, four different players on the UMass Lowell women's basketball team (6-4, 5-2 AE) scored in double figures, as the River Hawks took down Hartford (3-4, 3-4 AE) in America East action, 81-45, on Saturday afternoon at the Chase Arena.
 
"I was very pleased with the effort of our team today," commented head coach Tom Garrick. "I think for the first time all season we put together four quarters of solid UMass Lowell basketball. Our defense was steady throughout the game and I thought we got out and created some easy opportunities for ourselves. Glad to have another brick in the foundation as we build upon our season."
 
Junior guard Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) put up a team-high 18 points, going 9-for-9 at the free throw line. Senior Tiahna Sears (Bunbury, Australia) matched her career-high of 17 points, while sophomore forward Denise Solis (Windsor, Conn.) came close to her second double-double of the season with 15 points and nine boards. Fellow sophomore Kaylen Banwareesingh (Bronx, N.Y.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 second-half points. As a unit, the River Hawks shot their best 45.2 percent (28-62) from the field, while dishing out a season-high 18 assists.
 
Hartford registered the first points of the day until Sears put up a long jumper to get the River Hawks on the board. However, the Hawks quickly responded with seven unanswered to create an early, 11-7 advantage halfway through the first quarter. Senior Linda Svenne (Riga, Latvia) grabbed her first points of the day followed by a basket from down low by Sears, but the Hawks would collect on a free throw opportunity to grab their second lead of the game, 13-11, heading into the second quarter.
 
The River Hawk offense quickly changed the momentum of the game when Sears put up a jumper in the initial seconds of quarter two, to spark a 12-0 run that gave her team a 25-14 edge by the 5:49 mark. Hartford followed with points in the paint to trim the deficit within six, but UMass Lowell would extend its margin to double-digits, 40-24, on another 11-0 scoring run to close out the first half.
 
Picking up where they left off the River Hawks attacked in the second with opening points from Sears and Solis, until Hartford made a drive in deep to end the short spurt from the visitors. Over the next five minutes UMass Lowell would use their longest run of the contest to extend their lead further, including nine solo points from Solis to end quarter three at 62-29.
 
Capping-off the final frame, a floater from senior Niya Johnson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) gave the River Hawks their largest lead of the day, 78-35, at 4:12. The visitors maintained a 36-point buffer in the final minutes en route to the decision.
 
The River Hawks outscored Hartford 27-10 in the second quarter and 22-5 in the third frame, limiting the Hawks to only one shot from outside the arc to secure the win.
 
Up next, the River Hawks will finish out their series with the Hawks in an attempt to go for their second series sweep of the season, tipoff is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.