LOWELL, Mass. – Graduate student Justin Faison (Prince George's County, Md.) and sophomore Max Brooks recorded 15 points apiece to lead the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (8-4) to a 70-62 victory against Sacred Heart (4-8) in the team's first game at the Tsongas Center in almost two years.
 
"It was good to get back on the floor at the Tsongas Center and get a win against a good Sacred Heart team," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "They are a good program every year and I have a lot of respect for Coach Latina and the way he builds his program. I just don't think we were very good today and I'm a little bit disappointed in some of the mistakes we made. We missed a lot of assignments and didn't make enough winning plays. We need to learn from this and get better. I appreciate the win, but know we need to change some things."
 
Brooks added 10 rebounds on the day for his second career double-double. Faison match a season high with five made three-pointers to lead the team that shot a combined 54.5% (12-22) from long range in the contest. Junior Kalil Thomas (New Orleans, La.) added three threes of his own en route to 11 points and a personal-best nine rebounds.
 
Brooks started off the game with a two-handed slam and the River Hawks worked to build an early lead thanks to strong work from beyond the arc. Faison led the charge with a trio of threes in the opening eight minutes to help the home team create an 18-9 edge.
 
The Pioneers would make it a two-possession game before Brooks and Thomas combined for three straight buckets, giving the team its only double-digit margin, 26-16, with 7:30 remaining in the first half. However, the visitors responded with an 11-3 run to pull within two, 29-27, at 3:56. Brooks sunk the next four points to give the River Hawks some breathing room, but SHU's Mike Sixsmith hit the final basket of the period to close the gap back to 33-31 at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, Sacred Heart converted at the foul line to erase the difference, but the stalemate was short-lived, as Thomas ignited offensively with nine points by way of the three to pace his squad in a 13-6 spurt that stretched the buffer to 46-39 with just over 14 minutes left to go.
 
UMass Lowell maintained a two-possession margin until the Pioneers laid in back-to-back buckets to make it 55-52 at 8:29. Sophomore Anthony Blunt (Crownsville, Md.) hit a three to cushion the lead, and although SHU made it a one-point game, 61-60, five minutes later, Brooks and Faison each hit a clutch shot with less than three minutes to play to help stave off the comeback and secure the 70-62 win.
 
The River Hawks are now set to host St. Francis Brooklyn on Thursday, December 23 at 1 p.m. in the final game before the holiday break.