Home Sweet Home: UMass Lowell Snaps Skid, Downs Emerson, 90-67

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LOWELL, MA — After a grueling two-week, five-game road trip that saw the UMass Lowell River Hawks go 1-4, the team was happy to return to the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon. The return home proved beneficial, as UML (3-6) secured a dominant 90-67 victory over the Emerson College Lions (2-4), led by impressive double-doubles from forwards Austin Green (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Victor Okojie (15 points, 10 rebounds). Following the win, Head Coach Pat Duquette stated, “Good to be home.”

The game featured only three lead changes and zero ties, with the River Hawks taking control early. Okojie put UML ahead for good at the 15:34 mark with a fast-break dunk following a turnover, making the score 8-7. The River Hawks never trailed again, building their lead primarily in the paint, where they scored 46 total points. They took a commanding 40-22 lead into the locker room, fueled by 11 first-half points from guard Jared Frey, who was perfect from the free-throw line (8-for-8) on the day en route to 16 total points.

Though UMass Lowell never surrendered the lead in the second half, the Emerson Lions managed to keep the final margin from ballooning further, outscoring the River Hawks by only 50-45 after halftime. The hot shooting came from guards Jacob Armant (21 points on 9-of-17 shooting) and Shay Roban (21 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range in the second half). Roban’s second-half surge helped the Lions’ bench outscore the River Hawks’ bench 31-26, allowing Emerson to remain competitive longer than expected. Coach Duquette later voiced concerns about his team’s defense on those two players.

Despite the defensive lapses, the River Hawks achieved their highest lead of 25 points following two free throws by Austin Green with 15:50 remaining, ultimately cruising to a 90-67 final score and their second home win of the season.

After the game, Coach Duquette commented that the Lions “played well” and acknowledged his team still has work to do. Both Frey and Okojie stressed the need to focus on defense and be more “on the same page” before next Saturday’s crucial rivalry game at Massachusetts. The players noted that the team is spending more time together, both on the road and at home, improving team chemistry as the season progresses. The River Hawks now have a week to prepare for their annual Kennedy Cup matchup against the Minutemen.

What is the all-time record between UMass Lowell and Massachusetts in the Kennedy Cup rivalry game? The all-time head-to-head record between the UMass Lowell River Hawks and the Massachusetts Minutemen in men’s basketball, often played for the Kennedy Cup, is heavily favored by the Minutemen.

According to available records, Massachusetts leads the all-time series 10-3 against UMass Lowell.

The two programs have faced each other 13 times, with UMass Lowell’s most recent victory coming during the 2024-25 season. Despite the overall series record, the rivalry games are often tightly contested.

The next meeting, which the River Hawks are preparing for, is scheduled for next Saturday, December 6, at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Massachusetts.