New Hampshire

River Hawks Fall to New Hampshire, 69-65, in Final Minute

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DURHAM, N.H. – Graduate student Allin Blunt (Crownsville, Md.) logged a team-high 17 points, as the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (17-6, 5-4 AE) fell to the New Hampshire Wildcats (10-10, 5-3 AE), 69-65, on Saturday afternoon.

Although a jumper by graduate student Everette Hammond (Silver Spring, Md.) gave the River Hawks a one-point lead with five minutes remaining in the game, New Hampshire tallied the next three baskets to take a 63-59 lead with 47 seconds to play. Senior Ayinde Hikim (Washington, D.C.) cut the lead in half after converting on two free throws, but the home team was able to pull away in the final seconds after sinking four free throws.

Along with leading the team in points, Blunt tied a team-high with seven rebounds. Senior Abdoul Karim Coulibaly (Bamako, Mali) was all over the box score adding 12 points, seven rebounds, two blocks, and an assist. Rounding out the double-digit scorers for the River Hawks was Hammond, who totaled 10 points and five rebounds.

The game proved to be a defensive battle early, as the two teams combined for two baskets in over three minutes of play. However, with 16:35 on the clock, Hammond drained a triple, and graduate student Mikey Watkins (Roselle, N.J.) followed with a layup to give the visitors a three-point lead. Although a three by the Wildcats evened the score, UMass Lowell put together a 6-0 burst, highlighted by a hard-fought layup from Blunt, to take a 17-11 lead.

New Hampshire battled back, putting together a 10-4 run capped off by a three-pointer from Clarence Daniels to knot the score up at 22-22 with 5:09 remaining in the first. The River Hawks caught fire on offense, though, as Blunt sank back-to-back shots from behind the arc, and Watkins added one of his own, giving UMass Lowell a six-point buffer. Although a trey from the hosts cut the lead in half, the River Hawks tallied the final two baskets of the half to hold a 37-30 lead heading into the locker room.

Both teams traded baskets early to start the second half, but New Hampshire’s Jaxson Baker connected on two threes, pulling the hosts back within one. Blunt looked to shut down the Wildcats’ momentum, sinking a basket from the top of the arc, his third triple of the afternoon, to retake a four-point lead with 13:34 to play. However, UNH retaliated with an 8-2 stretch, taking a 50-48 lead, their first of the half.

The River Hawks fought back, going on a 6-0 run started by freshman Brayden O’Connor (Ottawa, Ontario) who converted on all three free throws. Over the next two minutes of action, the Wildcats tallied seven of the game’s nine points to create a one-point edge. With 5:06 to play, Hammond tallied his fifth basket of the night to give UMass Lowell the lead and set up the tight finish that took the final minutes to decide. 

Next up, the River Hawks return home to take on UAlbany on Wednesday, February 1. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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