The UMass Lowell River Hawks dominated the New Hampshire Wildcats from the opening tip, building a 14-point lead by the 10-minute mark of the first half, thanks in large part to Angel Montas Jr.'s 12 points in the first 20 minutes. The River Hawks' offense was clicking, with 42 points in the first half, including 6 three-pointers, while the Wildcats struggled to find their rhythm, scoring just 28 points in the first half, with Belal El Shakery accounting for 8 of those points. As the game wore on, it became clear that the River Hawks' hot start would be too much for the Wildcats to overcome, with UMass Lowell ultimately winning 78-56. The River Hawks' 42 points in the first half marked their highest scoring half of the season, and their 78 total points marked their 4th highest scoring output of the year.
The River Hawks' recent trend of outscoring opponents by an average of 2.6 points per game over their last 5 games continued, with their 22-point victory margin marking their largest win of the season. The Wildcats, on the other hand, have struggled in their last 5 games, averaging just 68 points per game while allowing 78.8 points per game, resulting in a 1-4 record in that stretch. The River Hawks' ability to capitalize on the Wildcats' struggles, particularly on the defensive end, where they held New Hampshire to just 28 points in each half, was a key factor in their dominant victory. The River Hawks' 56 points allowed marked their 3rd lowest total of the season, and their defensive performance was a major factor in their win.
UMass Lowell's 42 Points in the First Half Marked Their Highest Scoring Half of the Season
Angel Montas Jr.'s 25 points and 10 rebounds were the highlight of the River Hawks' performance, but he was far from the only contributor, with Xavier Spencer adding 17 points and 6 rebounds, and Darrel Yepdo chipping in with 12 points. On the other side, Belal El Shakery's 16 points and 8 rebounds were not enough to overcome the River Hawks' balanced attack, with Jack Graham and Tyler Bike each adding 8 points, but ultimately failing to make a significant impact on the game. The River Hawks' bench also outscored the Wildcats' bench 15-10, with 7 different players scoring for UMass Lowell. The River Hawks' ability to get production from a variety of sources was a key factor in their win, with 5 players scoring at least 6 points.
The CHD Scout predicted a 7-point victory for the River Hawks, and while the actual margin of victory was much larger, the prediction was still correct, thanks in large part to the River Hawks' ability to dominate the paint, outscoring the Wildcats 32-20 in the paint, and outrebounding them 37-29. The River Hawks also shot 51.9% from the field, including 42.1% from three-point range, while the Wildcats shot just 38.3% from the field and 25% from three-point range.
CHD Scout Report Card
CORRECTPredicted
Final
The CHD Scout's prediction was correct, but the margin of victory was much larger than expected, thanks in large part to the River Hawks' dominant performance on the defensive end, where they held the Wildcats to just 38.3% shooting from the field, and 25% from three-point range. The River Hawks' ability to shut down the Wildcats' offense, particularly in the second half, where they allowed just 28 points, was a key factor in their dominant victory. The River Hawks' defense has been a strength all season, with a defensive efficiency rating of 104.2, and they were able to use that to their advantage against the Wildcats.
The River Hawks' victory marks their 12th win of the season, and improves their record to 12-15, while the Wildcats fall to 8-17. The River Hawks' recent trend of outscoring opponents by an average of 2.6 points per game over their last 5 games is a positive sign, but they must continue to play well if they want to make a push for the postseason. The Wildcats, on the other hand, must regroup and try to find a way to turn their season around, with just a few games left to play. The River Hawks' win also marked their 4th quad 4 win of the season, which could be an important factor in their postseason resume.
The River Hawks' win over the Wildcats does not significantly impact their tournament picture, but it does give them a quad 4 win, which could be important in their postseason resume. The Wildcats, on the other hand, are all but eliminated from postseason contention, with a record of 8-17 and a NET ranking of 334. The River Hawks' NET ranking of 321 is still not good enough to get them into the tournament, but they are at least trending in the right direction, with 3 wins in their last 5 games. The River Hawks must continue to play well and pick up some more quad 4 wins if they want to make a push for the postseason.
The River Hawks' dominant victory over the Wildcats marks a positive step forward for the program, and they want to build on this momentum as they head into the final stretch of the season. With 5 games left to play, the River Hawks must continue to play well if they want to make a push for the postseason. The Wildcats, on the other hand, must regroup and try to find a way to turn their season around, with just a few games left to play. The River Hawks' 22-point victory margin was their largest of the season, and marked their 4th win in their last 6 games. The River Hawks' ability to dominate the Wildcats on both ends of the court was a key factor in their win, and they want to use this as a building block as they head into the final stretch of the season.