Jersey Mike's #AEPlayoffs Central
America East Digital Program
BURLINGTON, Vt. - The No. 2 seeded UMass Lowell men's basketball team (22-9) heads north to battle the No. 1 Vermont Catamounts (27-6) in the 2024 Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs championship game on Saturday, March 16 at Patrick Gymnasium. A rematch from last season's title game, the league's top two teams will clash on ESPN2 beginning at 11 a.m.
A WIN WOULD
A win against the Catamounts would mark the first ever America East Championship and NCAA DI Tournament bid for UMass Lowell. It would also move the River Hawks to 23-9 on the season, while giving the River Hawks their eighth ever #AEHoops Playoffs win, as well.
Déjà vu
The 2024 championship game is a rematch of last season's title game. That contest featured 15 lead changes between the league's top two teams. The No. 1 Catamounts pulled ahead for the final time on a three by Aaron Deloney at 12:36 in the second, and although the River Hawks were still within a bucket at the nine-minute mark thanks to a trey from
Yuri Covington, the home team used three jumpers from beyond the arc of their own down the stretch to secure the outcome.
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 second time the River Hawks have faced Vermont 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 now appeared in the championship game three times in the last four years.
LAST TIME OUT
Senior
Yuri Covington registered his third career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, as the No. 2 seeded UMass Lowell men's basketball team (22-9) put together a strong second half to come from behind and defeat No. 3 Bryant (20-13) in the semifinal round of the 2024 Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs. Covington, who added four steals, was one of four double-digit scorers, as senior
Ayinde Hikim and junior
Cam Morris III each contributed 14 points, while sophomore
Brayden O'Connor chipped in with 11. Morris III also finished with a personal-best 12 rebounds on the night for his fifth career double-double, helping the home team take a 46-35 edge on the glass.
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 14.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while
Max Brooks chips in 12.9 points alongside a team-high 7.4 boards.
Cam Morris III contributes 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds, while
Yuri Covington rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.5. As the primary playmaker, Hikim paces his squad with 159 assists and 59 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.
ROAD WARRIORS
The River Hawks knew they needed to be an excellent road team to finish atop their conference standings. They took care of business, as they were the first team in the nation to reach 10 road wins and currently rank third in the country. The 10 wins away from home also set a new DI program record, improving upon the nine from last season. Additionally, in league play, the River Hawks went 5-3 away from home, compared to earning just three league road wins last season.
SCORING POWER
UMass Lowell is currently 35th in the nation, averaging 80.6 points per game, the highest scoring average for any America East team since 2016-17 when UMBC averaged 81.1 ppg.
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.
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 five 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 16th in the nation for rebound margin (+7.5).
CLOSING IT OUT
With the America East more competitive than ever, the River Hawks knew no game would be an easy one. Nine of the team's last 12 wins were separated by just two possessions within the final 10 minutes, two went to overtime and six of those games were decided by eight points or less, including the America East Quarterfinals vs. UMBC on March 9 and America East Semifinals vs. Bryant on March 12. In both of those playoff games this year, the River Hawks have shown their resilience and come from behind in the second half for victory.
SHARP SHOOTERS
As a team, the River Hawks are shooting 47.7% from the field (37th nationally) after surpassing 48% shooting in 14 of 31 games so far. Individually,
Max Brooks ranks 12th in the nation in field goal percentage at 62.5%. In 15 #AEHoops conference games, he boasted a 64.6% field goal percentage, while averaging 15.3 points.
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 73.5 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.
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 11 of its 18 games since the start of conference play, including a season-best six, 10+ point scorers in the quarterfinal game vs. UMBC on March 9.
NOT WASTING TIME
The River Hawks have been quick to attack this season, leading at the half in 21 of their 31 games. The team is 19-2 when holding the advantage going into the locker room so far.
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