LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell men's basketball team returns to Costello Athletic Center for the first time this month to kick off a five-game homestand against the Long Island University Sharks on Wednesday, December 11.
A WIN WOULD
A win would move the River Hawks to 7-4 on the season and keep the team undefeated all-time against the Sharks. It would also improve the squad's home record to 6-0.
LAST TIME OUT
Fifth-year
Quinton Mincey (Upper Marlboro, Md.) scored a game-high 27 points, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (6-4) took down in-state rival Massachusetts (3-7), 96-83, in the annual Kennedy Cup matchup on Dec. 7. Mincey, who was one of three River Hawks to record double-digits, finished 8-10 (80%) from the field, including 4-5 from three. Behind him, freshman
Martin Somerville (Bowie, Md.) totaled a career-high 22 points alongside five assists, while fifth-year
Yuri Covington (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) chipped in with 19 points and five rebounds. As a team, UMass Lowell went 29-50 (58.0%) from the field and 30-34 (88.2%) from the free-throw line.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Four River Hawks are averaging double-digits, as
Quinton Mincey leads the charge with 16.8 points per game. Behind him,
Max Brooks averages 13.7 points alongside a team-high 7.8 rebounds, while freshman
Martin Somerville adds 13.7 points through his first ten games, including a team-high 23 three-pointers.
Yuri Covington rounds things out with 12.9 points per game. Serving as the primary playmaker,
Quincy Clark totals a team-best 31 assists so far this season.
HOME SWEET HOME
Costello Athletic Center has been very kind to the home team during the last three seasons, as the River Hawks are currently 32-1 in the building since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, including 5-0 in 2024-25. The team's current 10-game win streak at home is also tied for eighth longest in the country.
NATIONAL NEWS
UMass Lowell is currently ranked in the top 25 in the nation in five team categories, including free throws made (7th) and field goal percentage (16th).
BLOCK PARTY
With 240 career blocks,
Max Brooks is closing in on the UMass Lowell career blocks record of 246, last set by Leo Parent, who has held the title for 35 years. With a season-high seven blocks against Quinnipiac, Brooks is averaging 2.44 blocks per game, over half a block higher than his career average of 1.90. He is also ranked 14th in the country with 22 total blocks this year.
ROOKIE YEAR
Martin Somerville has already logged two, 20-point games this season with a season-high 22 points at Massachusetts and leads all America East freshmen (10th overall) with 13.7 points per game. With a 45% clip from beyond the arc, he is sixth in the conference for three-pointers per game (2.3). He has won the league's Rookie of the Week award in four out of the first five weeks of the season, as well.
SHARP SHOOTERS
UMass Lowell is first in the league and 16th in the country for field goal percentage, shooting 50.3% from the floor. For the second year in a row,
Max Brooks is leading the way in efficiency for the squad and is ranked eighth in the country with a 68.8% clip on field goals.
GOING UP AND STAYING UP
The team plays well when they get out in front, owning a 4-0 when leading at halftime so far this year.
HELPING HANDS
The River Hawks' passing and connectedness has been on full display early this year, as the team has logged three games with over 20 assists so far. The team is currently fourth in the America East with 15.3 assists per game.
AMERICA EAST HONORS
For the fourth time this season,
Martin Somerville was named the America East Rookie of the Week in Week Five, marking the third straight week he has earned the honor. The River Hawks have swept the weekly awards twice this year, when Somerville was tabbed Rookie of the Week and
Quinton Mincey was named Player of the Week in both Weeks One and Three.
Max Brooks, who became the third River Hawk ever named to the All-Conference First Team last season, as well as earned his third consecutive nod for the league's All-Defensive Team, was tabbed a Preseason All-Conference Team selection for the 2024-25 season.
SCORING POWER
With an average of 85.4 points per game through ten games, the River Hawks currently sit first in the America East in scoring offense and 25th in the nation. Last season, UMass Lowell finished ranked 36th in the nation, averaging 80.0 points per game, the highest scoring average for any America East team since 2016-17 when UMBC averaged 81.1 ppg. The team set a new DI record and scored its most points in a single games since 1995 with 121 in the contest against Fisher.
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