UMBC Dominates UMass Lowell to Clinch America East Title

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It was a tough Saturday afternoon at the Kennedy Family Athletic Center for the UMass Lowell River Hawks (13-17, 8-7 AE). The 84-60 victory by UMBC (20-8, 13-2 AE) was more than just a win; it secured the Retrievers’ sixth 20-win season as a Division I program and their first outright America East regular-season championship since 2008.

UMBC has now extended its winning streak to eight games, matching a program high set during the 2020-21 season. River Hawks head coach Pat Duquette offered a candid assessment after the buzzer, noting that UMass Lowell simply “caught them on a good day” and admitting that the Retrievers “were better than us across the board.”

A Tale of Two Halves

The game was defined by surges, though the Retrievers were responsible for the most significant ones.

The Opening Salvo: UMBC jumped out to an 18-6 burst to start the contest. Guard Ace Valentine (14 points) pushed the lead to double digits at 20-9 with 12:17 remaining in the half.
The River Hawk Response: UMass Lowell’s bench provided a spark to claw back into the game. Khalil Farmer and JJ Massaquoi (who finished with a game-high 17 points) spearheaded a comeback that tied the game at 23-23. The River Hawks briefly took their only lead of the day, 25-23, following a Massaquoi jumper off a Retriever turnover.
The Turning Point: The lead was short-lived. UMBC closed the half on a 14-8 run to go into the locker room up 37-33. Historically, the halftime score is a major indicator for these teams: UMass Lowell is now 1-13 when trailing at the break, while UMBC improved to a sterling 17-1 when leading.

Second Half: Paint Dominance and Milestones

The final 20 minutes belonged entirely to the Retrievers. UMBC shot a blistering 60.3% from the field for the game and utilized their size to outscore the River Hawks 50-20 in the paint—32 of those points coming in the second half alone.

Jah’Likai King: The junior guard exploded for 12 points in the second half (24 total), officially surpassing 1,300 career points. King has now reached double figures in 21 of UMBC’s 28 games this season.
Jose Roberto Tanchyn: The junior forward notched his second double-double of the year, providing a physical presence with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Josh Odunowo: With 11 points on the afternoon, the graduate student is now just 19 points away from the 1,000-point career milestone.

Standings Impact and Senior Day Looming

UMass Lowell received 13 points from Shawn Simmons II and 10 from Angel Montas Jr., but the River Hawks were unable to overcome UMBC’s interior efficiency.

Despite the loss, the River Hawks still control their destiny for the final home quarterfinal seed in the America East playoffs. They currently sit one game ahead of UAlbany, who won their matchup on Saturday to keep the pressure on. UMass Lowell wraps up the regular season this Tuesday night, March 3, on the road against Maine.