UMass Lowell Defeats Crosstown Rivals Merrimack College, 81-74

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On Monday night, two schools separated by 12 miles played a college hoops game at Costello Athletic Center. The Merrimack College Warriors (1-5) gave the UMass Lowell River Hawks (5-2) all they could handle before falling by an 81-74 score. The Warriors would have the lead in this game for a little more than twenty-five minutes. Their largest lead was eight in the first half of a game with eight ties and four lead changes. The River Hawks, much like they did on Saturday afternoon, found a way to get the “W.”

Once again, UMass Lowell was led by a duo of graduate seniors. Max Brooks (20 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks) notched his 17th career double-double and third of this season. Quinton Mincy, named this week’s America East Player of the Week, had 12 points, and 11 rebounds, his seventh career double-double and his second of the year. They were two of five River Hawks players who finished the game in double figures. UMass Lowell received 29 points off the bench. 5th guard Anthony Blunt had 13 in 28 minutes. Martin Somerville, this week’s America East Rookie of the Week, had 13 off the bench in 26 minutes. Head Coach Pat Duquette has talked all season long about the depth of this team. Monday night it came through.

Playing against what coach Duquette called “A funky zone” the River Hawks struggled in the first half making only 33.9% of their shots. What kept them in the game was the scoring of Brooks (11 points) and Blunt (11 points). They combined for 22 of the 32 first-half points UMass Lowell would get. Merrimack, on the other hand, played nine players in the first half with eight of them scoring. Senior guard Devon Savage led the way with eight. For a team that was having trouble scoring, averaging 53.2 points a game, the Warriors were off to a good start. The only issues were taking just three free throws in the half (1-3) and shooting 4-of-11 (36.4%) from deep. Still, they were getting points in the paint, outscoring UMass Lowell by a 22-14 margin. Graduate player David Murray had six points on 3-of-3 shooting and graduate Sean Trumper had four points on 2-of-3 shooting. Both big men were getting the job done in the paint which helped the Warriors leave Costello court with a 35-32 lead.

In the second half, UMass Lowell started to figure things out. 5th year guard Yuri Covington scored all of his 14 points in the second half knocking down two 3-point shots and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the foul line. An early three-ball by Covington tied the game at 37-37 with 18:54 left in the game. However, the Warriors were able to keep the River Hawks at arm’s length. A lot of that had to do with the play of Adam “Budd” Clark .The sophomore guard had 17 points in the second half. It did take him 17 shots to get those points. After the game, Covington, called guarding Clark “very tiring: but he enjoys going up against a “great player.”

The River Hawks did not take the lead for good until there was 5:40 left in the game. A Quinton Mincy short jumper in the paint gave his team a 64-63 lead. Clark would hit a jumper to keep it a one-point game. Somerville for Lowell and Savage for Merrimack traded 3-point makes to keep it a one-possession game at 72-70 with 1:41 left. The River Hawks would make ten free throws in the last minute and a half. Part of a 25-for-33 night at the line to put the game away by the final of 81-74.

Coach Duquette called it “A good win.” He is also looking forward to playing more traditional defense than the ones his team has seen over the last two games. Merrimack head coach Joe Gallo liked the way his team protected the ball with only eight turnovers for the game, still, there were “silly things” in late-game possessions that cost his team. He knows his group is not shooting the ball well but they have played some very good competition in November. He thinks his team “is headed in the right direction.” The Warriors did get a solid game off the bench from Malik Edmead who had 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting including 2-of-4 from deep.

UMass Lowell begins a three-game road trip around the Thanksgiving holiday on Wednesday when they travel to St.Louis to continue playing in the “314 Classic. Tip Off is at 8 PM.