PEORIA, IL. – Freshman JJ Massaquoi (Prince George's County, Md.) recorded a team-high 18 points, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (1-5) fell to the Bradley Braves (2-3), in the final minutes, 87-77, on Wednesday night.

"Tonight was probably our best all-around game of the year," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "We really had control of the game the first 25 minutes and came back after they went on a run in the second half. Just didn't have quite enough on the road against a good team and a tough crowd. We'll get home tomorrow and back on the road Friday."

Massaquoi, who went a perfect 6-for-6 from the line, was one of four River Hawks to finish with double-digit points. Junior Darrel Yepdo (Dracut, Mass.) added 14 points, while senior Austin Green (Sicklerville, N.J.) added 13 and five rebounds. Rounding things out, junior Xavier Spencer (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) added 11 points and a team-best eight rebounds.

The River Hawks came out strong, as Yepdo scored on the first possession of the game before assisting on a triple by junior Shawn Simmons II (Philadelphia, Pa.) moments later to give the visitors an early 5-2 edge. The Braves responded with an 8-4 run, and despite a pair of free throws by Simmons II to interrupt the stretch, a three by the hosts gave them a 13-11 advantage. Over the next two minutes, the back-and-forth battle continued to keep it a one-score game before a 7-0 burst by Bradley gave them an eight-point edge with 8:09 on the clock.

UMass Lowell refused to let the opposition build the lead any further, though, as junior Jared Frey (Columbus, Ohio) scored five straight to ignite a 9-2 run for the River Hawks, cutting the deficit to 29-28 with under five minutes remaining. Despite the Braves using six free throws to build up a four-point lead with just over two minutes to go, the visitors caught fire in the final minutes, going on a 9-0 scoring run, highlighted by a buzzer-beater three by junior Angel Montas Jr. (La Romana, D.R.), to take a 43-38 lead into the break.

With momentum on their side, the River Hawks came out firing to start the second half, with Yepdo, Frey, and Green all adding two points to build the lead up to 49-38. Although Bradley answered quickly with eight points of their own, a three-pointer by Spencer sparked another scoring stretch for the River Hawks, this time a 10-4 run, to build the lead back to 59-50 with just over 11 minutes to play.

Refusing to let UMass Lowell add to their lead, the hosts hit their stride, using a 15-5 run to regain the lead for the first time since late in the first half, 65-64. Yepdo fired right back for his squad, draining a trey to jump back in front by two, but 14 straight points by the opposition gave them a 12-point lead with three minutes remaining. The River Hawks continued to fight in the final minutes, but there proved to be not enough time, sealing the 87-77 decision.

Next up, the River Hawks continue the five-game road stretch when they visit Saint Peter's on Saturday, November 22. The opening tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Jersey City, New Jersey.