Box Score LOWELL, Mass. – Junior
Angel Montas Jr. (La Romana, D.R.) totaled 24 points to help the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (11-15, 6-5 AE) top Bryant (8-17, 4-7 AE), 88-69, in the first game of a three-game homestand at Kennedy Family Athletic Complex on Thursday evening.
"It was good to have pretty much a full complement of players today and obviously anytime you get three guys that score 20+ points and win the rebounding battle, we're happy," said Assistant Coach Bryan Dougher.
Montas Jr. also added a team-high eight rebounds in the contest. Juniors
Darrel Yepdo (Dracut, Mass.) and
Xavier Spencer (Calgary, Alberta) added 22 points apiece, marking a new personal best for Yepdo. As a team, the River Hawks shot 54% and registered a season-high 10 steals.
Senior
Austin Green (Sicklerville, N.J.) opened the scoring on the night, as the River Hawk offense went to work right away with six of the first nine points. The Bulldogs were able to tie it up early, but Spencer would knock down a three to spark a 14-2 run that included six more points from Green to build a 20-8 edge with 15 minutes remaining in the first half.
The River Hawks held the visitors off the scoreboard for three minutes and although Ashley Sims II broke up the streak, Yepdo and Montas Jr. combined for the next 10 points for the home team to extend the buffer to 30-12 at 12:12. UMass Lowell maintained at least a 14-point lead until Bryant used a 16-4 spurt to cut the difference to 39-34 with 1:54 left in the half. However, Yepdo responded with a jumper and Montas Jr. closed the period at the line to keep the River Hawks on top, 42-38, at the break.
UMass Lowell's offense controlled the opening minutes of the second half, outscoring Bryant, 14-4, with the help of a trio of threes from Spencer and Montas Jr., creating a 56-42 margin with 17 minutes still to play. The Bulldogs responded with five of the next seven points, but a jumper from Spencer and a one-handed slam from Montas Jr. gave the momentum back to the home side, as Yepdo followed with seven more points to make it 69-52 at 11:20.
Bryant would pull within 11 three times before Montas Jr., Spencer and Yepdo scored on three straight possessions, building the advantage to 82-65 with less than four minutes to go. The visitors registered four last points, but the River Hawks closed the game with six in a row to seal the 88-69 outcome.
The River Hawks are back in action next Thursday, February 19 when they host New Hampshire at 6 p.m.
