SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Graduate student Everette Hammond (Silver Springs, Md.) recorded a game-high 25 points, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (21-7, 8-5 AE) pulled away late to take down Bryant (16-10, 7-6 AE), 85-71, on Wednesday night.
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With 3:52 to play in the contest, Bryant's Sherif Gross-Bullock hit a layup to pull the hosts within two for the second time in a minute. The River Hawks, however, responded immediately, scoring the next 11 points, capped off by a big-time three from Hammond and four straight points from senior Ayinde Hikim (Washington, D.C.), to create a 78-65 lead that was too much to overcome.
"This was a great road win tonight against a very talented Bryant team in a tough environment," said Head Coach
Pat Duquette. "It was a great team effort. I'm proud of my guys for handling all their runs and not losing their composure."
Alongside his 25 points, Hammond collected a team-best seven rebounds. Hikim chipped in 21 points alongside five assists, while graduate student Allin Blunt (Crownsville, Md.) rounded out double-digit scorers with 10 points and six rebounds.
With the decision, the River Hawks sweep the regular-season series against the Bulldogs, in addition to matching the program record for America East wins in a season (8).
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Although the contest stayed scoreless for nearly two minutes to start, the UMass Lowell offense quickly caught fire, as Hikim and Hammond connected on back-to-back triples, followed by a putback jam from junior Max Brooks (Waldorf, Md.) in a 12-4 run.  The Bulldogs would respond, scoring seven of the next 10 points to make it a two-possession game, but the River Hawks regained the momentum with seven straight points, including two treys by junior Yuri Covington (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.), to go up 22-11 with 9:41 on the clock.
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Looking to retaliate, Bryant's Antwan Walker threw down a dunk to spark a 6-2 burst for the home team. The River Hawk offense, could not be slowed down, however, tallying the next six points to hold a 30-17 edge with six minutes to go in the first. The two teams continued to go back and forth with strong defensive efforts in the final minutes, but a three from the Bulldogs' Sherif Gross-Bullock cut the margin down to 37-25 entering the break.
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Bryant came storming out of the locker room, scoring the first eight points to make it a two-possession game once again before Brooks threw down a monstrous slam over the hosts' defense. The Bulldogs continued to march back with a 9-2 scoring stretch to make it a one-point game, 43-42, with 14:38 to play.
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Nearly five minutes later with the Bulldogs down four, the River Hawks began to pull away, as Hammond drilled a triple and graduate student Blunt sank two free throws, making it 57-48 at 9:12. Bryant was relentless, fighting right back with a 6-0 spurt to pull back within three. The two teams then traded baskets back, setting up the tight finish that took the final minutes to decide.
Next up, the River Hawks will return home to take on Binghamton on Saturday, February 18. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
