2023-11-15 05:07:49
ATLANTA, Ga. – Senior Ayinde Hikim (Washington, D.C.) tallied 24 points, as the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (3-0) fended off a late comeback attempt to stun ACC opponent Georgia Tech (2-1), 74-71, on Tuesday night at the McCamish Pavillion.
Although the River Hawks held a 10-point lead with just over four minutes to play, the Yellow Jackets used a fastbreak three and a four-point play to spark an 11-1 run that erased the deficit with 1:34 to play. The River Hawks, however, did not back down, as junior Cam Morris III (Alexander City, Ala.) fought through contact for a bucket and the foul, putting his squad back in front. The hosts retaliated with a basket of their own to make it a one-point game before getting the ball back with 18 seconds to play, but a block by senior Max Brooks (Waldorf, Md.) with only three seconds remaining helped secure the outcome.
With the win, the River Hawks earned only their second-ever win against an ACC opponent, the first coming against Boston College during the 2015 season. It also marks the first time at the Division I level that the River Hawks have started 3-0.
“Obviously, it was a great win for our program,” said Head Coach Pat Duquette. “I’m proud of our guys. It didn’t come easy. It was a battle in the first half. We were 0-8 from three in the first half, and if you had told me that, on the road against an ACC team, and we’d only be down three points, it’s a credit to our defense, and it kept us in the game until we were able to get the ball rolling on offense in the second half.”
Hikim, who went a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, was one of three double-digit scorers for the River Hawks. Behind him, sophomore Brayden O’Connor (Ottawa, Ontario) had a career night, recording a personal-best 18 points on six field goals, while senior Abdoul Karim Coulibaly (Bamako, Mali) scored 16 points and collected a game-high nine rebounds. Brooks was all over the box score, tallying a career-high five assists alongside five points, four blocks and nine rebounds of his own. The River Hawks continued to shine on defense in the contest, holding the Yellow Jackets to 37.1% (26-70) shooting, including just a 20.0% (6-30) clip from beyond the arc.
The River Hawks went to work right away, as O’Connor and Hikim combined for the first two baskets of the night. After the Yellow Jackets got on the board with a jump shot, UMass Lowell went on a quick, 6-0 spurt, sparked by a long two-point bucket from Brooks, forcing a timeout from the hosts less than four minutes into the game. Following the stoppage, Georgia Tech used a 16-0 run over seven minutes of play to claim an 18-10 advantage.
The visitors continued to pressure, though, as Hikim countered with four points, and Coulibaly sank his second jumper, making it a two-possession game. While the River Hawks’ defense allowed only one basket in the final six minutes of the half, senior Quinton Mincey (Upper Marlboro, Md.) earned a hard-fought second-chance layup moments before the break to cut the hosts’ lead down to just 26-23.
Much like the first period, the River Hawks opened the second set of 20 minutes with an explosive, offensive display. Less than two minutes in, Hikim finished off an and-one opportunity, and Brooks quickly followed with a layup, putting his team back in front, 28-26. After both sides went back-and-forth, the Yellow Jackets used an 11-2 run to hold a 41-34 edge with 13 minutes to play.
The River Hawks proved to be fearless, battling back with a 12-1 scoring stretch that was fueled by two and-ones from Coulibaly to recapture a four-point lead at 50-46.
A Georgia Tech three made it a one-point game, but the River Hawks answered once again, this time scoring 12 of the next 14 points with the help of nine from O’Connor to put UMass Lowell in front, 62-51, with 6:24 to go.
Looking to spark a comeback, Georgia Tech powered to the paint for two layups, but a pair of free-throws from Hikim and O’Connor kept the River Hawks’ double-digit lead, setting up the thrilling finish in the final minutes.
Next up, the River Hawks head west to take on Arizona State on Thursday, November 16. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. at the Desert Financial Arena.
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