BALTIMORE, MD. – Senior Austin Green (Sicklerville, N.J.) tallied a team-high 14 points, as the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (8-13, 3-3 AE) fell to the UMBC Retrievers (12-7, 5-1 AE), 79-56, on Saturday afternoon.

Green, who also led the team with six rebounds, shot 66.7% (6-9) from the field, while also knocking down both free throw attempts. Right behind him, freshman Victor Okojie (Castlebar, Ireland) was all over the box score, adding 12 points while knocking down three triples and adding five rebounds, a block, and a steal.

Both teams opened the game with an emphasis on defensive play, as UMBC owned a slight, 5-4 edge nearly five minutes in, with all four points for the River Hawks coming from junior Angel Montas Jr. (La Romana, Dominican Republic). Although the hosts built up their lead with a four-point play, UMass Lowell followed up an 8-4 stretch, including four points from Green, to keep it a one-point game. Over the next two minutes, both sides continued to go back and forth, and despite freshman JJ Massaquoi (Prince George's County, Md.), Okojie, and Green each adding a basket, the Retrievers kept a one-possession lead, 20-18, midway through the first.

With just over nine minutes remaining in the half, the opposition hit their stride offensively, and despite three-pointers by Okojie and junior Xavier Spencer (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), a 14-8 run by UMBC extended their lead to eight with 5:34 on the clock. UMass Lowell responded with haste, using a 4-0 burst to cut into the deficit, but a 12-5 stretch by the Retrievers gave the hosts a 46-35 lead at the break.

Coming out of halftime, the River Hawks started strong defensively, allowing only one basket for well over two minutes, while Green added a jumper keep the difference the same. UMBC built on its lead, though, using a 12-2 run before Okojie drilled a three from the corner, cutting the difference to 60-42 with 10:28 to play.

Looking to pull off a comeback in the final 10 minutes, the River Hawks continued to fight, with junior Jared Frey (Columbus, Ohio) and Okojie each adding four, but the Retrievers fought off any further attempts, sealing the 79-56 decision.

Next up, the River Hawks will head north to take on the New Hampshire Wildcats on Thursday, January 29. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Lundholm Gymnasium.