Lowell, MA - The short-handed UMBC men's basketball team dropped an 88-82 decision against the UMass Lowell River Hawks, in an America East Conference contest on Saturday afternoon at the Costello Athletic Center.
 
UMBC sophomore guard Dion Brown produced his second career double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Retrievers, who trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half.  Brown, who made 9-of-16 field goal attempts, also added a team-best five assists. Sophomore guard Marcus Banks Jr. and freshman guard Ace Valentine contributed 15 points, while junior guard Devan Sapp (11 points) was also in double-digits. Banks also drilled his 100th career trifecta in the contest.
 
UMBC (5-13, 0-3 America East) took their only lead of the game, 14-12, after Banks converted a driving layup at the 11:52 mark. The River Hawks (12-4, 3-0 AE) responded with seven straight points and never trailed again as they grabbed a 19-14 edge midway through the stanza.
 
Freshman guard Ashton Reese swished a baseline jumper to bring the visitors within 26-22 at the 6:24 mark, however, the hosts outscored the Retrievers by a 19-9 margin to build a 45-31 halftime advantage.
 
The Retrievers were within 51-41 after a triple by Reese from the right wing at the 16:49 mark of the second half but the hosts answered with a 7-0 run to extend the lead to 58-41 with 15:03 left, their largest advantage of the game.
 
The visitors refused to go away easily as the Dawgs went on a 16-2 burst to trim the deficit to only 60-57 at the 10:34 mark. The Retrievers capped the run with three straight treys from Banks (two) and Sapp.
 
Lowell stopped the bleeding with a 19-10 run to widen the lead to 79-67 with 2:40 left.
 
Once again, however, the Retrievers continued to fight as they managed to make it a one possession game on two different occasions inside the final minute of play. Brown converted a layup to bring UMBC within 81-78 with twenty-five ticks left, but UMass Lowell converted 3-of-4 free throws to claim an 84-78 edge with twenty-two seconds left.
 
UMBC freshman forward Alpha Chibambe finished a dunk to bring the visitors within 84-80 with seven ticks left, but Ayinde Hikim (14 points, 9 assists) put the game away with two free throws just two seconds later. Brown scored the final points of the game at the buzzer.
 
Forward Max Brooks paced the River Hawks with a game-high 24 points and 13 rebounds.
 
The Retrievers were without the services of graduate student forward Khydarius Smith and junior guard Bryce Johnson due to injuries.