JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team will play its third road game in a week with a first-time visit to Saint Peter's on Monday, November 20 ahead of the Thanksgiving break.
A WIN WOULD
A win against the Saint Peter's would improve UMass Lowell's record to 4-1, matching the team's best start in DI program hiatory from the record-breaking, 2022-23 season. It would also give the team it's first win against Saint Peter's in program history.
LAST TIME OUT
The UMass Lowell men's basketball team battled valiantly and led for over 38 minutes until a late run by Arizona State sealed a 71-69 comeback for the home team on Thursday night at the Desert Financial Arena. Three River Hawks recorded double-digits, led by
Abdoul Karim Coulibaly, who totaled 19 points and eight rebounds. Right behind him,
Ayinde Hikim added 17 points and a season-high eight assists, while senior
Yuri Covington contributed with 14 points and seven boards.
Quinton Mincey impressed off the bench, chipping in eight points alongside a game-high nine rebounds.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Three River Hawks are averaging double-digits, as
Ayinde Hikim leads the squad with 20.3 points per game. Right behind him,
Abdoul Karim Coulibaly adds 15.0 points and a team-best 7.0 rebounds per game, while
Cam Morris III adds 10.3 and 6.0 boards off the bench. Picking up from where he left off last year as the primary playmaker, Hikim paces his squad with 20 assists, as well, while
Max Brooks totals nine blocks, so far.
REMEMBER MY NAME
The River Hawks made noise around the college basketball landscape last week, after coming seconds away from sweeping a pair of Power 5 opponents in a span of three days. The River Hawks first defeated ACC foe Georgia Tech, 74-71, on Nov. 14. Despite trailing by seven with 12 minutes to play, UMass Lowell fought back to lead by as many as 11 down the stretch before a last-second block from Brooks helped seal the program's second ever win against a Power 5 squad. Two days later, the River Hawks led Arizona State for over 38 minutes of action and went up by as many as 12, but a fast-break in the last seconds gave the Pac-12 opponent the 71-69 decision.
ROAD WARRIORS
The River Hawks know they need to be an excellent road team to finish atop their conference standings. They are headed in the right direction, as they are 2-1 so far during a DI program-long, six-game road trip.
STARTING STRONG
With the 96-51 win against Rivier, the River Hawks opened the season with a victory for the fourth straight year. That decision also marked the team's 10th consecutive win in its home opener. So far, the team has started this season with a 3-1 record, matching the the same start as the 26-win season during the 2022-23 campaign.
INSIDE JOB
The River Hawks' have relied on their scoring from down low early this season, with an average of 47.5 points per game coming from inside the paint.
PERIMETER POWER
Heading into this season, Coach Duquette said one of the most important keys to success for his team this year would be becoming an elite perimeter defense team. So far, so good, as the River Hawks are ranked fourth in the nation in three-point percentage defense.
SHARP SHOOTERS
As a team, the River Hawks are shooting 49.2% from the field after surpassing 48% shooting in three of four games so far. Individually, Coulibaly has been hard to make miss, as the senior is boasting a 70.3 field goal percentage.
ON MY BLOCK
Max Brooks logged a season-high four blocks in the win at Georgia Tech on Nov. 14. He is currently 24th in the country with nine total blocks. As a whole, the River Hawks are 31st in the nation in blocks per game.
GOING DEEP
The River Hawks look to be able to rely on their depth once again this season, as 11 different team members tallied points in the season opener. In that contest, the squad combined for an impressive 45 points off the bench. So far, the team is averaging 24.5 bench points.
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