University of Massachusetts Lowell
2-0,0-0America East
Niagara
0-2,0-0Metro
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara | 19 | 8 | 16 | 10 | 53 |
| UMass Lowell | 24 | 17 | 24 | 13 | 78 |
11/5/2026 8:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell women's basketball team (2-0) earned its second consecutive victory to open the 2026–27 season, defeating Niagara (0-2), 78-53, Thursday evening at the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex in the opening game of the America East Metro Challenge.
"We talked a lot going into this game about our first quarter and the start to the game and being better," said head coach Brianna Finch. "This team came out focused with that intent, and then we just never let up for 40 minutes. Once we got off to a good start, our focus was to keep attacking. Every single player that played gave us great minutes, great effort and great energy."
Junior Nia Chima (Toronto, Ontario) and sophomore Tyanna Medina (Lawrence, Mass.) led the River Hawks with 13 points apiece. Chima shot a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, while Medina added four steals. Senior Maddie Rice (Charlottesville, Va.) and junior Yazmin Edwards (Ipswich, United Kingdom) each contributed 10 points, while freshman Milena Lund (Bærum, Norway) chipped in nine points, three assists and four steals.
UMass Lowell dominated the glass, outrebounding Niagara 46-25, including a 20-5 advantage on the offensive boards. The River Hawks forced 26 turnovers and converted them into 28 points, while adding 42 points in the paint and 34 points off the bench.
Freshman Kayla Solomon (Central Islip, N.Y.) got the River Hawks started with a three-pointer on the opening possession. After a back-and-forth stretch that saw four ties and two lead changes, senior Kylie Diaz (Albertville, Minn.) converted consecutive second-chance layups to put UMass Lowell ahead, 9-7. Chima extended the advantage with a three-pointer before Edwards collected a steal and finished a fast-break layup. Medina added two baskets in the closing minutes, including a steal and layup, to give the River Hawks a 24-19 lead after the opening frame.
The River Hawks began to pull away in the second quarter behind a strong defensive effort, holding the Purple Eagles to just eight points. With UMass Lowell leading 27-22, Rice connected from beyond the arc before Chima followed with another three-pointer to stretch the advantage to nine. The River Hawks continued to capitalize on Niagara turnovers, as Lund collected a steal and converted a fast-break layup before Edwards added a pair of baskets. UMass Lowell closed the half with a 41-27 advantage after limiting Niagara to 27.3 percent shooting in the period.
Coming out of the break, Lund opened the second half with a layup before Chima knocked down her third three-pointer of the evening to push the lead to 46-29. Medina provided an offensive spark midway through the third, scoring six points in a span of just over a minute, including a steal and fast-break layup that extended the advantage to 54-33. Freshman Izabella Asp (Jönköping, Sweden) and junior Carla Subirats (Barcelona, Spain) combined for nine points down the stretch as the River Hawks carried a 65-43 lead into the fourth.
UMass Lowell maintained control throughout the final 10 minutes, stretching its lead to as many as 27 points. The River Hawks held Niagara to just 10 points in the final frame, closing out the 78-53 victory to remain undefeated through their first two contests.
Up Next
The River Hawks hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to Buffalo, N.Y., to take on Canisius on Sunday, November 8.
