ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball team returns to SEFCU Arena Wednesday night to host UMass Lowell ahead of a two-game road trip. The game will be the basketball program's America East Spread Respect game for the 2018-19 season.
The Great Danes (8-16, 3-6 AE) last visited preseason conference favorite and top team in the America East Vermont to start the second half of conference play. In their first meeting, Vermont rolled off a 20-0 run after UAlbany scored the first two points of the game en route to a 29-point victory. This time around, UAlbany's defense locked down and the Great Danes held a lead for the first 10 minutes of the game before Vermont's offense kicked into gear.
After holding the Catamounts to just 5-21 shooting from the floor through the beginning of the first half, UAlbany succumbed to a 15-2 Vermont run and trailed by nine at halftime. The Catamounts continued their scoring deluge in the second half, coming out of the locker room with a 24-6 run before winning 67-49.
UMass Lowell last played at Stony Brook, falling to the Seawolves 76-65. It was the Riverhawks' third loss in four games after winning four straight. UMass Lowell leads the America East in scoring offense, averaging 78.7 points per game, but the team averages 70.7 points per game during conference play, and 74.0 points on the road. Stony Brook was UMass Lowell's first road opponent after playing three straight home games.
In the first meeting against UMass Lowell, UAlbany shot 70.8% from the floor in the first half, including hitting 13 of their last 14 shots, while the Riverhawks started the game shooting 0-6 from behind the arc. Despite the efficiency, UAlbany trailed by just seven at halftime. UMass Lowell wen on to outscore UAlbany by 19 in the second half, shooting 69.2% over the final 20 minutes, to win 84-27.
Despite the loss to Vermont, UAlbany remains in sixth place in the America East standings, a game and a half behind UMass Lowell in fifth place. Vermont holds a one-game lead over Stony Brook atop the conference, and defending champion UMBC sits in third, one game behind the Seawolves. Binghamton and Maine, in seventh and eighth, are each one-half game behind UAlbany.
Following the game against UMass Lowell, UAlbany visits Maine on Sunday, February 17 and Stony Brook on Thursday, February 21 before hosting UMBC on Throwback Night on Saturday, February 23.
THE OUTLOOK: UMASS LOWELL (13-12, 5-5 AE) | Wednesday, February 13, 7:00 p.m. | Albany, N.Y.
Last we met: L, 72-84, January 16, 2019, Lowell, Mass.
Tale of the Tape
- UAlbany is 5-6 at home this season
- UMass Lowell is 3-9 on the road
- Four Riverhawks average double-figure scoring
- Against common opponents, UAlbany and UMass Lowell are both 4-6
- UAlbany has won eight of the last 10 games in the series, including three of the last four
- UMass Lowell leads the America East in scoring offense (78.7), FG% (.472), A/TO ratio (1.09), and assists (15.8)
- UMass Lowell's Christian Lutete leads in rebounding (8.2) and FG% (.542)
- Cameron Healy leads in threes (3.3) and FT% (.909)
- Ahmad Clark leads in assists (4.1)
Series History: UAlbany leads 13-9
2017-18 Record: 12-18, (6-10 AE); sixth place AE, AE quarterfinals
Top Offensive Player: Christian Lutete, R-Jr., G, (18.8 / 8.2 / 1.5)
