AEHoops quarters: UMBC defeats UMASS Lowell 89-77

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March 3, 2018, will become an important date in UMass Lowell men’s basketball. That is the date of the first post-season game in the history of the program. Although the River Hawks lost this game to UMBC by an 89-77 count, getting to this point was a long time coming.

UMBC won the game in the second half with a combination of a defense that got stops when needed, and an offense that found its mark after a rough first twenty minutes. In many ways, the game was a tale of two halves with the River Hawks controlling the first and UMBC taking over in the second.

The game started with the River Hawks jumping on their hosts with a 10-0 run 2:40 into the game. Baskets by Ryan Jones (16 points on the afternoon) and Rinardo Perry were followed by three-point field goals from Josh Gantz, 14 on the day for him, and senior Matt Harris who had 15 on the day. It forced the home team to call a quick timeout to try to get things back in order.

UMBC started the game shooting 1-for-8 from the field, but they were able to stay in the contest thanks to some very good foul shooting, 14-for-19 in the first half. With the game being closely officiated, foul shots, as well as players getting into foul trouble would become an issue. For the River Hawks, Ryan Jones was whistled for four first-half fouls and Harris and Gantz picked up two apiece. The River Hawks’ bench would have to do their job if the team was going to stay on top.

For the most part, they did, but UMBC did put a 16-9 run together while holding the River Hawks scoreless for a three-minute span of time. It would allow the home team to get back into the game down only two at 19-17 halfway through the first twenty minutes. UMass Lowell would survive the drought and get their offensive groove back. They would take their largest lead to this point in the game on a Harris three ball, 37-25 five minutes until the break. When Connor Bennett knocked down a buzzer-beating 17 footer just before halftime, the River Hawks went to the locker room up eleven at 49-38.

The second half was a whole different story as UMBC started the half on an 8-2 run. It brought the crowd back into the game with some renewed life. The home team took their first lead on K.J. Maura’s three-point field goal, 54-53 UMBC. The momentum was starting to swing over to the home team.

The River Hawks who shot 51% in the first half, but now could not buy a basket. They went through a five-minute scoreless drought. Free throw shooting was the only way they could score over the last fourteen minutes of game action. They were able to tie the game once on a Jahad Thomas free throw. It made the score 54-54. Thomas finished his final game as a River Hawk with another double-double of 18 points and 16 rebounds.

James Lyles (18 points, eight rebounds) hit a basket after Thomas’s free throw to give UMBC the lead back at 56-54. They would never give up the lead again as they went through a stretch of hitting seven of nine shots. Everything they could not do in the first half they were making up for in the second.

A mini four-point run by Lyles gave UMBC their first double-digit lead of the day at 80-70 with five minutes to play. The River Hawks put a string of four points together themselves to cut the lead to 82-74. However, a big three-point shot by the home team put to rest any thought of a comeback by the River Hawks. The Retrievers after giving up 49 points in the first half, would come back in the second half and score 51 points. The final score was UMBC 89 UMass Lowell 77.

FINAL: No. 7 River Hawks fall, 89-77, in #AEHoops quarterfinal at No. 2 UMBC. Thomas w/18 pts., 16 rebs. Jones w/16 pts. #AEPlayoffs #UnitedInBlue pic.twitter.com/FFQt4suMw4

— UMass Lowell MBB (@RiverHawkMBB) March 3, 2018

Daniel Akin had 11, Jordan Grant had 16 points, and Joe Sherburne had 10 for UMBC. UMBC moves on to the semi-finals against a TBD opponent, and their record is now 20-12. UMass Lowell ends their season at 12-18.