UMass Lowell Goes Wire-to-Wire to Beat Bryant, 88-69

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On Thursday night at the Kennedy Family Athletic Center, the UMass Lowell River Hawks (11–15, 6–5 AE) ignited a three-game homestand with a commanding 88–69 victory over the Bryant Bulldogs (8–17, 4–7 AE). The River Hawks led from start to finish, fueled by an offensive explosion where three different starters reached the 20-point plateau.

The Triple Threat: 20-Point Trio

The story of the night was the relentless scoring of Angel Montas Jr., Darrel Yepdo, and Xavier Spencer. The trio combined for 68 of the team’s 88 points, showcasing an elite ability to attack the rim and burn the Bulldogs from the perimeter.

Angel Montas Jr.: Led all River Hawks with 24 points and a team-high 8 rebounds.
Darrel Yepdo: Poured in 22 points, including four triples, and added 4 assists.
Xavier Spencer: Matched Yepdo with 22 points (4-of-5 from deep) and set the defensive tone with 5 steals.

As a unit, the River Hawks were clinical, shooting 54.1% from the field (33-of-61) and a blistering 47.4% from three-point range.

Welcome Back: Austin Green Returns

The River Hawks also celebrated the return of senior forward Austin Green, who had missed the previous four league games due to a family matter. Green logged 31 minutes in his return, providing a steadying presence with 9 points and 6 rebounds.

“It was good to have a full complement of players today,” Assistant Coach Bryan Dougher noted post-game. “Anytime you get three guys that score 20-plus points and win the rebounding battle, we’re happy.”

Game Summary: Weathering the Harvey Storm

UMass Lowell was aggressive from the jump, scoring seven of their first eight baskets in the paint. They built a double-digit cushion early, but Bryant graduate student Keegan Harvey nearly willed the Bulldogs back single-handedly.

Harvey’s Heroics: Harvey scored 19 of his career-high 28 points in the first half, shooting 7-of-10 in the opening twenty minutes.
The Surge: Thanks to Harvey, Bryant closed the half on a 16–4 spurt to cut what was once a 14-point lead down to just four, 42–38, at the break.

The Bulldogs pulled within two points (42–40) early in the second half, but the River Hawks responded with a surgical 9–0 run—all on three-pointers from Spencer and Montas Jr. UMass Lowell maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the night to seal their second straight win.

Standings & Stats

Team	FG%	3PT%	Top Scorer
UMass Lowell	54.1%	47.4%	Montas Jr. (24)
Bryant	43.9%	34.6%	Harvey (28)

With the win and a UNH loss to NJIT, the River Hawks have strengthened their hold on fourth place in the America East standings, inching closer to securing a home game for the playoff quarterfinals.

Looking Ahead

UMass Lowell: The River Hawks have the weekend off to prepare for a critical Thursday night home game against New Hampshire (Feb 19).
Bryant: The Bulldogs head to Burlington to face the first-place Vermont Catamounts this Saturday afternoon.