River Hawks Fall Short to Bryant in a Fierce 64-43 Battle

LOWELL, Mass. – Second-year player Abbey Lindsey (Staten Island, N.Y.) amassed 20 points, as UMass Lowell (2-15, 0-5 AE) suffered a defeat, 64-43, against Bryant (9-9, 2-3 AE) at Costello Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon during America East Conference competition.

“We frequently discuss with our team how in conference matches, the margin for error is extremely thin and I believe we witnessed that at the conclusion of the first half,” stated Head Coach Denise King. “Basketball is a game of streaks. In the second half, when challenges arise, I would prefer to see greater resilience.” 

Lindsey led the River Hawks and equaled her personal best in points for the season during the match. She converted all six of her free throw attempts and gathered four rebounds. As a unit, UMass Lowell outperformed Bryant at the foul line, achieving 80.0% against 62.5%.

Lindsey netted eight points in the first quarter, marking her initial points in a transition from baseline to baseline, securing the rebound and dashing towards the basket for a layup. The River Hawks’ biggest advantage in the quarter arose from a six-point run, taking a 12-7 lead at 1:59. However, the Bulldogs concluded the quarter with an eight-point surge, nailing two three-pointers in the last minute to seize a 15-12 advantage.

In the second quarter, UMass Lowell and Bryant exchanged nine-point spurts. Redshirt-senior Sydney Watkins (Indianapolis, Ind.) ignited the series at 3:59 with a fastbreak pull-up jumper, followed by a significant three from senior Amina Kameric (Seattle, Wash.) to narrow the Bulldogs’ lead. Bryant wrapped up the half with five points, leading 31-25 at the intermission.

Watkins and Rice commenced the third quarter with consecutive layups, but Bryant mounted its most substantial run of the game during the period, executing a 12-point surge. The River Hawks and Bulldogs entered the final quarter with a score of 49-32 in favor of Bryant.

The River Hawks scored the opening points of the fourth quarter at 8:09, as Lindsey utilized the entire shot clock to convert a jumper at the buzzer. Bryant then executed a sequence of nine unanswered points, sinking two consecutive threes to extend its lead to 60-38 at 4:07. Lindsey contributed to the River Hawks’ final points of the match with a successful jumper, though they ultimately fell to the Bulldogs, 64-43.

The River Hawks are set to embark on a two-game America East road trip, commencing at Maine on Thursday, January 23, with a tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m.