Jersey Mike's #AEPlayoffs Central
America East Digital Program
LOWELL, Mass. - The No. 2 seeded UMass Lowell men's basketball team (21-9) will host the No. 3 Bryant Bulldogs (20-12) in the semifinal round of the 2024 Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs on Tuesday, March 12 at Costello Athletic Center. Tickets for the game, which tips off at 6 p.m., are already sold out, but you can watch live on ESPN+.
A WIN WOULD
A win against Bryant would advance the River Hawks to the America East Championship for the third time in four years. It would also move UMass Lowell to 22-9 on the season, while marking the fifth straight win against the Bulldogs. A win would give the River Hawks their seventh ever #AEHoops Playoffs win, as well, while also keeping the team undefeated in home playoff games at the DI level (4-0).
POSTSEASON HISTORY
This marks the River Hawks' seventh 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. This will be the first time the River Hawks have faced Bryant in the playoffs. This marks UMass Lowell's second consecutive No. 2 seed after previously only being seeded as high as No. 5. The team has appeared in the championship game twice in the last three years. The team is currently 3-0 in home America East Playoff games after earning the right to host for the first time last year.
LAST TIME OUT
Senior
Quinton Mincey registered a career-high 27 points and 16 rebounds, as the No. 2 seeded UMass Lowell men's basketball team outlasted No. 7 UMBC in a gritty, back-and-forth battle to open the 2024 Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs. In a game that featured 14 tied scores and 13 lead changes, the River Hawks never trailed in overtime. Knotted at 76-76, senior
Yuri Covington tallied the first four points of the extra period ahead of buckets from senior
Max Brooks and sophomore
Brayden O'Connor during an 8-1 River Hawk run. O'Connor and senior
Ayinde Hikim kept a two-possession buffer for the home team, but a string of five straight points from UMBC's Marcus Banks made it 87-84 with less than a minute to go. However, UMass Lowell held on to close out the decision with seven more made free throws and a block in the waning seconds from Brooks.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Five River Hawks are averaging double-digits, as
Ayinde Hikim leads the squad with 14.7 points per game. Behind him,
Quinton Mincey adds 14.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while
Max Brooks chips in 13.0 points alongside a team-high 7.5 boards.
Cam Morris III contributes 11.0 points and 5.9 rebounds, while
Yuri Covington rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.2. As the primary playmaker, Hikim paces his squad with 155 assists and 55 steals, while Brooks totals 65 blocks, so far.
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Max Brooks became the third River Hawk ever named to the America East All-Conference First Team, as well as earning his third consecutive nod for the league's All-Defensive Team. Additionally,
Ayinde Hikim and
Quinton Mincey were named to the All-Conference Second Team. Rounding out the awards, Mincey was also named the Sixth Man of the Year, marking the second ever America East major award for the UMass Lowell program after Head Coach
Pat Duquette earned Coach of the Year honors in 2022-23.
HOME SWEET HOME
The River Hawks are currently a perfect, 3-0 in America East Playoff games after hosting for the first time in 2022-23. The team is currently 26-1 at Costello Athletic Center in the last two seasons. The 2023-24 semifinal matchup vs. Bryant sold out before tickets went on sale to the general public.
SCORING POWER
UMass Lowell is currently 35th in the nation, averaging 80.8 points per game, the highest scoring average for any America East team since 2016-17 when UMBC averaged 81.1 ppg. Bryant is currently second in the league at 79.0 ppg. The last time two teams averaged 80+ ppg in the America East was the 1986-87 season (Northeastern & Siena).
PERIMETER PROTECTION
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.
FREE IS FOR ME
The River Hawks are not wasting free opportunities this year, as the team is currently second in the America East with a DI program-best 73.8 free throw percentage so far. The team made a season-high 36 free throws against UAlbany on Feb. 24, one game after going a conference season-best 90.3% from the line against Binghamton on Feb. 22.
CLOSING IT OUT
With the America East more competitive than ever, the River Hawks know no game will be an easy one. Eight of the team's last 11 wins were separated by just two possessions within the final 10 minutes, two went to overtime and five of those games were decided by eight points or less, including the America East Quarterfinals vs. UMBC on March 9.
SEEING 20/20/20
Against Binghamton on Feb. 22,
Yuri Covington,
Max Brooks and
Quinton Mincey became the first 20-point scoring trio for the River Hawks in a single game since Jan. 22, 2017 vs. UMBC. In the next game against UAlbany on Feb. 24, the River Hawks did it again, this time with
Max Brooks,
Quinton Mincey and
Ayinde Hikim leading the team.
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SHARP SHOOTERS
As a team, the River Hawks are shooting 47.9% from the field (30th nationally) after surpassing 48% shooting in 14 of 30 games so far. Individually,
Max Brooks ranks 12th in the nation in field goal percentage at 62.9%. In 15 #AEHoops games, he boasted a 64.6% field goal percentage, while averaging 15.3 points.
OWNING THE GLASS
Rebounding has been a major point of success all season, as the River Hawks are the top-ranked rebounding team in the America East. The River Hawks have reached 50 rebounds fiver times this season, including three times over a six-game stretch. The team's 56 rebounds in the America East Quarterfinals against UMBC was the most in a game since grabbing 57 vs. MCLA on Dec. 11, 2021. UMass Lowell is currently 18th in the nation for rebound margin (+7.4).
SHARING IS CARING
Scoring can come from many different threats on any night for the River Hawks. The team has boasted at least four double-digit scorers in nine of its 16 league games so far, including a season-best six, 10+ point scorers at UAlbany on Jan. 18 and against UMBC on March 9.
Q THE MUSIC
Quinton Mincey started quite the stretch for himself since the non-conference finale vs. Emerson, establishing himself as a premier sixth man. He first set what was then a new career high for points (18) with a personal-best three, threes against the Lions and has since averaged a team-best 19.1 points, compared to just 8.6 points per game previously. His latest career highs came against UMBC on March 9 (27 points, 16 rebounds).
NOT WASTING TIME
The River Hawks have been quick to attack this season, leading at the half in 21 of their 30 games. The team is 19-2 when holding the advantage going into the locker room so far.
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