LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell women's basketball team (7-11, 4-5 AE) fell 69-65 to Stony Brook (20-2, 11-1 AE) in a thriller at the Costello Athletic Center on Wednesday night.
 
Senior Kharis Idom (Orlando. Fla.), junior Denise Solis (Windsor, Conn.), and sophomore Jaini Edmonds (Worcester, Mass.) scored 12 points each to lead the River Hawks. Junior Kaylen Banwareesingh (Bronx, N.Y.) added seven points and team-high six boards.
 
Both teams came out with high intensity to open what would become an exciting game. Stony Brook opened the scoring with a three that was answered by Idom on the following possession. With the game tied at 7-7 early on, the Seawolves went on a run to lead 11-7 at the media break. The River Hawks did well on the offensive glass early on, grabbing rebounds and maintaining offensive pressure. Out of the break, Stony Brook went on an 12-5 run to close the quarter and led 23-12 after one.
 
Solis scored the first points of the second quarter for the River Hawks almost three minutes in, as the Stony Brook defense held strong to begin the second frame. The Seawolves knocked down shots on almost every offensive possession to put them ahead 31-16 at the second media break. Back-to-back scores and stops on the defensive end allowed the River Hawks to cut the lead to ten. The Seawolves were firing on all cylinders in the first half, with the team shooting 15-21 for 71.4% from the field. Stony Brook shot 5-6 from behind the arc in the first half.
 
The second half started with the same energy as the first, with very few stoppages and a fast pace of play. The Seawolves held a big lead, but the River Hawks started to gain some momentum after Edmonds knocked down a three and Solis finished a three-point play cut the lead back to ten. Stony Brook pushed back and led 50-38 at the media break. Idom then knocked down a three out of the break, but the Seawolves answered with a three of their own to push the lead back to double digits. The River Hawks' defense got a few crucial stops to give the offense a chance to work. Freshman Amaya Dowdy (Woonsocket, R.I.) and sophomore Erin Lofaro's (Marlboro, N.Y.) came off the bench and causing a Stony Brook turnover, forcing the Seawolves to call timeout as their lead had been cut to 53-47 with just over 2:30 minutes to play in the third. Banwareesingh picked up a steal and hit a three as time expired to tie the game at 55 at the end of the third. The River Hawks outscored Stony Brook 30-16 in the third quarter, setting up a thrilling final frame.
 
Much like the first three quarters, the fourth had plenty of energy from both teams. The Seawolves scored the first five points of the quarter to take a 60-55 lead. The River Hawks continued to pressure Stony Brook hard, forcing the Seawolves into turnovers and difficult shots. The River Hawks struggled from the field in the fourth, going 0-6 in the first four minutes of play. Solis got UMass Lowell on the board, hitting one of two free throws to cut the Stony Brook lead to 60-56. The River Hawk defense was relentless, keeping the Seawolves off the board for just under three minutes. A pair of free throws from Edmonds tied the game with 4:39 left to play. The freshman Dowdy drove hard to the basket and gave UMass Lowell a 62-60 lead, their first lead of the game. Stony Brook answered, retaking the lead. Solis knocked down a pair of free throws to bring the River Hawks within two, trailing 67-65 with two minutes to play. Stony Brook hit free throws down the stretch and held on to win a 69-65 thriller.
 
UMass Lowell picked up a season-high 19 offensive rebounds on Wednesday night and out-rebounded Stony Brook 34-29. The River Hawks shot 35.5% from the field and 34.8% from behind the arc.