Wednesday, December 3 vs. NJIT (7 p.m.)
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Saturday, December 6 at Cornell University (4:30 p.m.)
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Radio:
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Talent: Nick Anastos (Play by Play); Jim Borodawka (Analyst)
 
LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell men's basketball team will play a pair of games this week, hosting NJIT on Wednesday, December 3 at 7 p.m. before visiting Cornell University on Saturday, Dec. 6 for a 4:30 p.m. tilt.
 
LOOKING AT UMASS LOWELL
The River Hawks (5-2) return home to host NJIT in the midst of a five-game win streak. The team looks to defend its longest unbeaten streak as a Division I program and its most consecutive victories since 2011-12. Last week, UMass Lowell earned a 102-57 victory in its home opener against Mount Ida on November 25 before defeating Boston University, 69-59, on the road on Nov. 30.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Redshirt-freshman Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) posted a personal-best 21 points with five rebounds to lead UMass Lowell to a 69-59 victory at Boston University on Sunday afternoon. Thomas was aided by two other double-digit scorers in the outing, as junior Mark Cornelius (Westford, Mass.) and senior Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) logged 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Terriers battled the whole way, pulling within as few as three points, four times, in the waning minutes of the outing, including at 60-57 with less than one minute to play, but the River Hawks held on to secure the decision.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through seven games, Jahad Thomas leads the River Hawks with 15.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Freshman Lance Crawford (Davie, Fla.) and graduate student Marco Banegas-Flores (Boston, Mass.) have added to the offensive effort with 9.3 and 8.7 points, respectively, while sophomore Tyler Livingston averages 7.9 points of his own. Redshirt-senior Kerry Weldon (New York, N.Y.) is second on the team with 5.1 rebounds per game. As a team, UMass Lowell is shooting 43.9% (163-371) from the floor and 36.6% (52-142) from beyond the arc. The squad is also shooting 63.8% (88-138) from the line.
 
SCOUTING NJIT
The Highlanders enter their second matchup with the River Hawks in 11 days with a 2-4 record. Following the 63-61 defeat at the hands of UMass Lowell, NJIT lost to Marquette, before ending its three-game skid with a win against Duquesne. Damon Lynn paces the offense with 17.7 points and 3.8 assists per game. Ky Howard has chipped in 12.8 points per game, along with 7.2 rebounds. Lynn leads the team with 23-of-66 shooting from three-point range, as well. Odera Nweke leads the team with eight blocks. The Highlanders are shooting 41.9% (130-310) from the field, and are 33.6% (44-131) from long range.
 
SCOUTING CORNELL
The Big Red is looking to extend a two-game win streak that has propelled the team to 4-4 overall in 2014-15. In its most recent outing, Cornell defeated Binghamton, 68-64, on Nov. 29. Four players are averaging double-digits, inclduding Shonn Miller with a team-best 13.3 points per game. Galai Cancer, Robert Hatter and Devin Cherry add 12.0, 11.8 and 10.6 points, respectively. Cherry leads the team with 4.4 assists per game, while Miller averages 7.6 rebounds. Cornell is shooting 40.7% (167-410) from the floor, including 33.1% (51-154) from beyond the arc.
 
ON TARGET
As a team, UMass Lowell has shot more than 50% from the floor for two consecutive games, moving into third in the league for field goal percentage (43.9%).
 
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
Four of the squad's five wins so far have been decided by 10 points or less. The team even trailed in the second half in three of those games (at NJIT, Fordham and BU) before battling back to earn the victories. 
 
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM
Despite being picked ninth in the 2014-15 America East Preseason Coaches Poll, the River Hawks have steadily climbed in the standings and are currently tied for first overall. The squad proved the polls wrong last season, as well, when they were also selected ninth out of nine teams, but finished their first season in the league in fifth place with an 8-8 record.