Senior A.J. Rudowitz led Stonehill with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot today against UMass Lowell.

UMass Lowell Quiets Stonehill, 73-57

68-percent first half shooting proves to be the difference as River Hawks hand Skyhawks first NE-10 defeat

Boxscore 

EASTON, Mass. (January 2, 2010) - The University of Massachusetts Lowell missed just eight shots in the first half, six of which came from three-point range, and kept Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, at bay down the stretch to claim a 73-57 victory in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Sophomore Kyle Caiola (Parma, Ohio/Normandy) led all scorers with 24 points (14 first half) to lead UMass Lowell, shooting 8-for-16 from the field while converting all seven free-throw attempts, to go with two assists, two rebounds and two steals. Senior Kevin Carr (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) added 18 points, draining 4-of-11 free-throws and all four free-throw attempts, to go with four rebounds and three assists, while junior Max Kerman (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) posted 14 points on 3-for-5 shooting from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range, and converting all six free-throw attempts, to go with five rebounds, four steals and two assists.

Senior A.J. Rudowitz (Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe Township) led Stonehill with 17 points, aided by 9-for-13 shooting at the free-throw line, to go with five rebounds (three offensive), two assists and a blocked shot. Sophomore Ivan Almeida (Santiago, Cape Verde) was the only other Skyhawk in double-figures with ten points, shooting 4-for-7 from the field, to go with a game-high seven rebounds and two assists.

UMass Lowell finished shooting 53.3-percent (24-for-45) from the field after a blistering 68% (17-for-25) shooting performance in the first half, including 5-for-11 (45.5%) from three-point range. The River Hawks made 18-of-19 (94.7%) free-throw attempts on the afternoon and became the first team in 12 games this season to out-rebound Stonehill after posting a 26-24 advantage in that category. Stonehill shot 46.7-percent (21-for-45) from the field, but just 3-for-13 (23.1%) from beyond the arc and converted only 12-of-20 (60%) free-throw attempts.

Both teams struggled to gain their bearings in the opening minutes, but UMass Lowell came to life with a 14-1 run over a five-minute span to turn a three-point lead (9-6) into a 16-point advantage (23-7) after a Caiola jumper with 9:44 left in the first half. He had nine points in all during that stretch, while Kerman also drained a three-pointer during the run.

Stonehill got back within nine (32-23) after a three-pointer from junior Daniel Heppert (Richmond, Va./Benedictine) with 2:41 left in the first half. UMass Lowell carried a 13-point lead (40-27) into the lockerroom and quickly opened a 17-point (44-27) advantage after two-straight Caiola baskets in the first 1:34 of the second half.

Stonehill drew within single digits again in the final four minutes of regulation, but could get no closer than eight points on three occasions as UMass Lowell had an answer every time to keep the Skyhawks at arm's length. UML made its last ten free-throw attempts in the final 1:49, while Stonehill came up empty on four-straight three's, as the River Hawks sealed the win and handed the Skyhawks their first NE-10 defeat of the season.

Stonehill (9-3, 6-1 NE-10) is back in action on Wednesday when it visits Southern Connecticut State University for an NE-10 matchup at 7:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return home next Saturday, January 9, to host Pace University at 3:30 p.m. UMass Lowell (8-3, 5-2 NE-10) visits Assumption College on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.