LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Quinton Mincey (Upper Marlboro, Md.) logged a career-high 20 points, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (14-5, 5-1 AE) battled tirelessly down the stretch in a 72-65 overtime setback against Vermont (15-5, 5-0 AE) on Thursday evening in front of a capacity crowd at Costello Athletic Center.
 
Despite trailing by seven with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, the River Hawks locked down on defense and did not allow another point the rest of the way to set up an exciting comeback that ended with the game-tying bucket from senior Max Brooks (Waldorf, Md.) in the final seconds to force overtime at 60-60. Sophomore Brayden O'Connor (Ottawa, Ontario) scored all five of the home team's points in the extra period, including a deep three to knot the score for the final time at 65-65, but the Catamounts' TJ Long responded with the go-ahead three and Ileri Ayo-Faleye sealed the outcome from the foul line.
 
"This was a real tough loss for us tonight," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "It was not a pretty game for either team, but it was two really good teams fighting it out for first place. I didn't think our guys had their best stuff tonight, but credit to Vermont, I'm sure they had a lot to do with that. Incredible comeback by my guys, though, and a great crowd."
 
Mincey went a perfect, 9-for-9 from the foul line, good for another personal best. O'Connor added 16 points on the night, while Morris III chipped in with 12. Brooks finished with eight rebounds and three blocks.
 
The Catamounts tallied the first points of the night, and despite O'Connor driving hard to the hoop for two and senior Ayinde Hikim (Washington, D.C.) knocking down a triple, the visitors pulled away by as many as nine in the opening minutes. The River Hawks quickly settled in and held their opponents off the scoreboard for almost seven minutes with three forced turnovers during that stretch, giving the offense the opportunity to score 13 in a row to take an 18-14 advantage with 10:21 remaining in the first half.
 
UVM was back within two before Mincey sunk a three, and Brooks and O'Connor recorded back-to-back buckets to stretch the difference to 27-20 at 3:11. The Catamounts sandwiched a layup from Hikim with a pair of treys in the final two minutes, but the River Hawks staved off any further attack to take a 29-26 edge into the break.
 
Hikim drilled a three to open the second half, but Vermont responded with eight straight points to regain the upper hand, 34-32, with 15:21 left to play. Morris III drove to the hoop to even the board, and after two more quick stalemates, the River Hawks used a 6-2 spurt to pull ahead, 44-40, at 10:54.
 
The Catamounts answered back once again, this time with an 11-1 run of their own to take a 51-45 advantage with 8:49 on the clock. Morris III fought through traffic to snap the silence for the home team and Mincey followed with another to make it just a two-point game, and although UVM regained a seven-point buffer, O'Connor and Mincey each went perfect at the line before the home side scored the final seven points of regulation, including the game-tying bucket from Brooks, to force the additional five minutes.
 
The River Hawks are off this weekend before hosting Maine on Thursday, February 1 at 6:30 p.m.