ALBANY, N.Y. – Freshman Victor Okojie (Castlebar, Ireland) registered a personal-best 22 points and 11 rebounds to log his second career double-double and help lift the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (10-15, 5-5 AE) to an 89-79 America East road win at UAlbany (8-17, 4-6 AE) on Saturday evening.
 
Despite six lead changes and four tied scores, the River Hawks were able to pull away in the second half, leading by as many as 17 en route to the victory.
 
"That was one of the best all-around team efforts of the year," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "We fought from start to finish to get a great road win."
 
Junior Angel Montas Jr. (La Romana, D.R.) added 21 points on the night, while juniors Xavier Spencer (Calgary, Alberta) and Shawn Simmons II (Philadelphia, Pa.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 18 and 11 points, respectively. As a team, the River Hawks shot 56% from the field and outrebounded the Great Danes, 35-26.
 
The River Hawks won the opening tip, allowing Montas Jr. to tally the first points of the game. UAlbany evened the board twice in the opening minutes, but the River Hawks followed with eight unanswered points, including four straight from Okojie, to pull in front, 12-4, with 16:07 remaining in the first half. UAlbany worked to make it a one-possession game and were within three on three more occasions before the River Hawks outscored the home side 10-4 with the help of threes from junior Khalil Farmer (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Spencer to stretch the difference to 29-20 at 10:18.
 
The Great Danes responded with 14 of next 15 points to take their first lead, 34-30, with less than four minutes to play in the first. However, the River Hawks battled right back, as Okojie, junior Darrel Yepdo (Dracut, Mass.) and Simmons II combined for seven points in a row to jump back on top. Although UAlbany finished the period with two layups, Simmons II hit a jumper inside the final 90 seconds to help ensure the River Hawks led, 39-38, at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, the home side scored the first five points to regain the upper hand. Montas Jr. would then spark a quick, 7-2 run that was capped off by a driving layup from Okojie to tilt the board in back in favor of the River Hawks, 46-45, with 16:16 still to play.
 
Less than two minutes later, a turnaround three from Yepdo ignited a 17-2 stretch that featured four treys, helping to extend the buffer to 63-51 at 9:56. After UAlbany broke up the run, the teams traded baskets until Spencer drained a pullup and Montas Jr. converted on an and-1 to make it 72-57 with less than six minutes to play. Simmons II later slammed an alley-oop from Spencer, stretching the lead as far as 78-61 with 4:37 to go, but the Great Danes did not go quietly, scoring seven points in the next minute. Down the stretch, Montas Jr. and Simmons II combined for eight points before Spencer closed the game with free throws to seal the decision.
 
The River Hawks open a three game homestand against Bryant on Thursday, February 12 at 6 p.m.