Tuesday, March 7 vs. No. 3 New Hampshire - 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
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LOWELL, Mass. - The No. 2 seeded UMass Lowell men's basketball team (25-7) is set to clash with No. 3 New Hampshire in the Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs semifinal round on Tuesday, March 7 at Costello Athletic Center.
A WIN WOULD
A win against the Wildcats would advance the River Hawks to the America East Playoffs Championship for just the second time (2021). It would also improve UMass Lowell's overall record in 2022-23 to 26-7, extending the program record for wins in a season at the DI level. Additionally, the River Hawks' historic home record would improve to 17-0 this year.
POSTSEASON HISTORY
This marks the River Hawks' sixth season eligible for the postseason at the Division I level. The team has qualified for the America East Playoffs in each of its eligible seasons. The River Hawks have faced New Hampshire once in the playoffs, when they upset the No. 3 Wildcats, 72-64, during the 2020-21 postseason as the No. 7 seed. UMass Lowell has advanced to the semifinals once (2021) and to the championship game once (2021). This is also the first year that the team has earned the right to host during the playoffs. Previously, the team's highest seeding was at No. 5. The program is now 49-40 all time in post-season games.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
This is one of two semifinal matchups on Tuesday, as No. 1 Vermont also hosts No. 5 Binghamton. The two semifinals winners will square off in the championship on Saturday, March 11 at the higher remaining seed on ESPNU at 11 a.m.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Four River Hawks are averaging double-digits, as
Everette Hammond boasts 13.7 points per game on 46% shooting from the field. Right behind him,
Abdoul Karim Coulibaly adds 11.8 points, in addition to a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game. The primary playmaker this season,
Ayinde Hikim totals 110 assists with 10.7 points. Rounding out the double-digit scorers is
Allin Blunt, who chips in with 10.1 points and 1.5 3FGs per game.
Max Brooks adds 8.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and paces the team with 57 blocks. Â
LAST TIME OUT
Four River Hawks scored in double-figures, as UMass Lowell took down Maine, 85-54, in the program's first Division I home playoff game.
Brayden O'Connor paced the team with 14 points off the bench.
Everette Hammond added 13 points, while
Ayinde Hikim and
Abdoul Karim Coulibaly chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively, to round out the double-digit scorers. As a team, UMass Lowell dominated down low, totaling 42 points in the paint, while outrebounding the Black Bears, 33-23. The River Hawks also shot 57.4% from the field in the contest as a unit, while holding Maine to only 41.1% shooting.
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Everette Hammond becomes the first River Hawk since Jahad Thomas (2016-18) to be named to the America East All-Conference First Team.
Abdoul Karim Coulibaly and
Allin Blunt each earned a spot on the Second and Third Teams, respectively, while
Max Brooks was tabbed to the league's All-Defensive Team. Additionally,
Pat Duquette was named Coach of the Year, marking the program's first ever America East major award winner.
ROCKING CLUB COSTELLO
For the first time at the Division I level, the River Hawks played in front of a sellout crowd at Costello Athletic Center on Jan. 22 vs. Bryant. Since then, the team's quarterfinal game against Maine was sold out on March 4 and the semifinal against New Hampshire sold out in under 10 minutes.
WELCOME TO OUR HOUSE
After a historic regular season that propelled the River Hawks to second in the conference, UMass Lowell hosted an America East Playoffs game for the first time against Maine. Prior to that game, the last time the team had hosted a post-season game, the River Hawks took down Le Moyne College in the first round of the NE-10 Tournament at Costello Athletic Center during the 2012-13 season.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The River Hawks finished the regular season with a perfect, 15-0 record at home, good for a new program best, surpassing the 10-0 home start from the 2002-03 season. That record also marks the third-best perfect home record in the nation, as well. With the 16-0 record at home so far, UMass Lowell is now 164-94 in front of River Hawk Nation since 2003-04.
ADDING A SPARK
The depth of the River Hawk roster has been apparent all season, but in each of the last two games, the bench has provided 37 points to help lift the team to victory. The spark off the bench has been spearheaded by Cam Morris, who has averaged 9.0 points in the last three games, and
Brayden O'Connor, who posted a team-high 14 points against Maine on March 4. This season, the River Hawk bench is averaging over 25 points per game, improving from 20 points per game last year.
GOING STREAKING
The River Hawks are in the midst of a five-game win streak heading into Tuesday's contest. The team already put together a nine-game win streak earlier this season from Nov. 16 through Dec. 10, marking a new DI program best and the program's longest streak since a 13-game stretch during the 2008-09 season.
FABULOUS IN FEBRUARY
The River Hawks found their footing in conference play in the month of February, putting together a 7-1 record during the month after a 3-4 showing to start league action in January.
QUITE THE CROWD
The River Hawks played in front of a record crowd at Tsongas against UNH on Feb. 25, as 4,114 members of River Hawk Nation filled the stands.
JOINING THE CLUB
In the final game of the regular season and Senior Night, fifth-year forward
Allin Blunt connected on his first jumper of the evening to join the 1,000 Career Point Club. He becomes the second River Hawk to surpass 1,000 career points this season after
Mikey Watkins converted on back-to-back three pointers in the second half against Emerson earlier in the year to also reach the milestone.
STARTING STRONG
The River Hawks held UAlbany to just 16 first-half points on Feb. 1, good for a season low. A strong first half has been important to the team's success this season, as UMass Lowell in 22-3 when leading at the break.
THE THREE IS KEY
Three-point shooting has proven to be key to the River Hawks' success so far, as the squad is 15-1 in games where they sink at least seven threes.
SHARP SHOOTERS
The River Hawks, who shot a season-high 63.5% from the field in the win against Emerson, have outshot their opponents in 24 of their 32 games this season. The team surpassed 50% shooting in 15 out of 32 games so far, as well. The team is averaging 48.6% from the field to rank 16th in the nation.
SHARING IS CARING
Coach Duquette has said this is his deepest and most talented team yet. Ten different River Hawks have already led the team in scoring this year, and seven of those have led the team in scoring in at least two games. The River Hawks have also boasted at least eight scorers in 31 of their 32 games, including 11 against Emerson and New Hampshire. In the contests against Fisher and Emerson, the team totaled six, double-digit scorers for the first time since 2017-18 (at Maine, 1/31/18). At least four River Hawks have scored in double figures in 15 of the 31 games.
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