March 5, 2010

Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Video

The seventh-seeded UMass Lowell River Hawks (19-11) are set to host the ninth-seeded Panthers of Adelphi University (20-11) on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 in Costello Gymnasium in the 2010 Northeast-10 Tournament Championship.

UMass Lowell owns a 12-6 all-time record in the Northeast-10 Tournament and has made the post-season eight of the last nine seasons, while the Panthers joined the NE-10 at the start of the 2009-10 campaign. Most recently, the River Hawks earned their spot in the semifinal round by upsetting #3 seed Merrimack in the Semifinal on Thursday evening by a score of 80-70, while Adelphi knocked out #5 Saint Anselm, 78-66, on Thursday.

“We have a great opportunity to host a championship game on Saturday,” head coach Greg Herenda said. “I know our fans will be there in full force, but it will take another great effort by our guys to beat a very good Adelphi team.”

The River Hawks are 2-1 in NE-10 title game, all-time, winning their last title in 2004. The only post-season meeting between the two teams came in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, when Adelphi picked up the 72-57 win.

UMass Lowell owns the 5-3 advantage in the brief all-time record against Adelphi, while the River Hawks have won four in a row against the Panthers. Adelphi has never won a tilt at Costello and the most recent tilt, in Garden City, NY, was a 54-51 decision in UMass Lowell’s favor. Kyle Caiola (Parma, OH) and Kingsley Onyechi (Lowell, MA) tallied 14 and 12 points, respectively, in the victory, while junior Max Kerman (Watertown, MA) tallied nine points and seven rebounds in the contest. Three Panthers scored in double-figures in the loss, led by a double-double from David Akinyooye, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Richard Byrd had a game-best 17 points, while guard Casey Cosgrove had 11, along with five assists.

Both squads are riding four-game win streaks, while UMass Lowell is averaging 71.9 PPG (8th) and allowing opponents 69.2 (6th). The team ranks second in the conference and 10th in the nation with 75.4% from the charity stripe. UMass Lowell’s offensive efforts are led by Caiola’s 20.4 PPG (3rd NE-10, 27th nationally), while he is shooting 47.4% from the floor. He leads the conference with 90.0% shooting from the line and ranks second in America with the same stat. The River Hawks are sinking an average of 7.83 threes per game, led by senior Kevin Carr’s (Lancaster, OH) 2.75 (2nd). Caiola’s 40.5% shooting from long range ranks him seventh in the NE-10.

The River Hawks stand fourth in the NE-10 with 3.77 blocks per game, led by senior forward Ali Kanaan (Montreal, Que.) with 1.86 (4th). The center also leads the team in rebounds (6.0), while Kerman is not far behind with 5.2. The aggressive squad is averaging 8.97 steals/game (2nd), led by Caiola, Carr and Kerman, with 1.73 (12th), 1.43 and 1.23, respectively.

Adelphi is just behind UMass Lowell with 71.4 PPG (9th), but allows opponents just 61.6 PPG (2nd). The Panthers have the conference’s best scoring margin (+9.8) and lead the nation in free throw percentage (78.6%). Offensively, their 41.2% field goal percentage ranks 15th in the NE-10, but the 39.0% they hold opponents to is sixth in the country and first in the conference. Byrd leads the Panthers’ offense with 19.0 PPG (8th) and in free throw percentage, shooting 85.7% from the line.

On the glass, Akinyooye’s 7.4 rebounds/game are a team-best. Cosgrove is averaging 2.06 steals per tilt (4th), while Byrd grabs 1.91, as well (7th). Cosgrove is also the squad’s best 3FG shooter, averaging 2.34 a game, while dishing 5.31 assists/game, as well (4th).

“Both teams have really earned their way here,” Herenda said. “It should be another great game here at Costello on Saturday.”

Tickets for the game are $7 for adults, $4 for children (12 and under) and senior citizens, while students are granted $1 admission with a valid student ID.

For those unable to attend, live video streaming is being broadcast by the Pack Network via Northeast-10 TV and can be viewed here.  Steve Zerdelian will be calling play-by-play, while Jacob VanRyn will be providing color analysis.  Live stats are also available here.