Box Score WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – In a game that came down the wire, the UMass Lowell women's basketball team (7-10, 4-4 AE) knocked off the Hartford Hawks (2-18, 2-7 AE) with a 64-57 win in West Hartford on Monday night.
 
Senior Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) scored a season-high 20 points and shot 6-9 from behind the arc to lead all scorers. Junior Kaylen Banwareesingh (Bronx, N.Y.) also picked a season-high 17 points, shooting 50% on the night, and grabbed a team-high seven boards.  
 
The River Hawks opened the game with good energy, pushing the pace from the opening tip. Idom and sophomore Jaini Edmonds (Worcester, Mass.) knocked down two early threes, but an 8-0 run by the Hawks kept the game close. UMass Lowell led 10-9 at the first media break. Hartford went on a 6-3 run to take an 18-16 lead to close the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, Hartford pushed the lead to four, but the River Hawks went 7-for-8 from the field to take a 33-28 lead at the media break. A few misses on the offensive end would prove costly for UMass Lowell, as Hartford continued to stay within one possession. The River Hawks used a 30 second timeout with just over two minutes to play in the half to slow the Hawks' momentum. Idom knocked down her fourth three of the first half with seconds left to put the River Hawks ahead 38-32 at the half. UMass Lowell needed to find a way to stop Hartford's Paulina Maurina in the second, who picked up 12 first points, shooting 6-10 from the field.
 
UMass Lowell picked up the pace on both ends of the court to start the third. Another three from Idom and a big block from sophomore Sydney Coombs (Newmarket, N.H.) provided a spark for the River Hawks, who pushed the lead to 45-33. A three-point play for the Hawks cut the UMass Lowell lead back to single digits at the midway mark of the third. Maurina continued to carry the Hartford offense, knocking down a three to bring the Hawks within seven at the media timeout. The Hawks found life with five straight before a three from Banwareesingh gave UMass Lowell a five-point cushion once again. The junior would knock down another triple to put the River Hawks ahead 53-49 heading into the final frame.
 
Hartford continued to battle in the fourth quarter and stay close enough to worry the River Hawks just enough. UMass Lowell's offense hit a cold streak, going scoreless for almost three minutes. Hartford's scoreless drought of nearly four minutes allowed the River Hawks to maintain a 55-51 lead at the final media break of the game. Out of the timeout, Idom hit her sixth triple of the night to bring the lead back to seven. Abby Streeter hit a three with just under three minutes to bring the Hawks back within four. UMass Lowell hit their free throws down the stretch to ice the game and go home with a 64-57 win over Hartford.
 
Up next for the River Hawks is a Wednesday night matchup with Stony Brook. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. at the Costello Athletic Center.