Boxscore

LOWELL, Mass. – Senior forward Ktrice McNeill (Bronx, N.Y) shared the game high with 20 points, and three other Owls scored in double figures, but the Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team fell to Massachusetts-Lowell in overtime on Thursday night by a score of 81-78. The Owls now sit at 1-5 overall and 0-5 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The River Hawks from Massachusetts-Lowell improved to 2-4 both overall and in conference play.

The Owls trailed by as many as eight in the first half, but battled back to enter the intermission with a 34-33 lead. The Owls' offense was led by McNeill, who netted 12 of his 20 points in the opening frame. Massachusetts-Lowell senior guard Dashon Harper netted 13 of his eventual 20 in the first half.

Sophomore guard Trevor Harris (Nanuet, N.Y.) converted a three pointer as the Owls built a six point lead to open the second half, but River Hawks forward Victor Colon led the Massachusetts-Lowell offense right back, and neither team led by more than four points in the remainder of the second half. The Owls had a chance to win the game with the score tied at 64, but junior guard Justin Gardenhire (Rosedale, N.Y.) missed a jumper with four seconds on the clock and the game headed to overtime.

The River Hawks started the overtime period on an 8-3 run and never trailed in the extra period. Despite being held without a field goal for the final 3:32 of the overtime, Massachusetts-Lowell converted 9-of-12 free throw attempts to keep the lead at hand. With two seconds left and trailing by three points, the Owls found senior forward Devon Sullivan (Jamaica, N.Y.) behind the arc, but his shot attempt was tipped and the horn sounded with the River Hawks clinging to an 81-78 victory.

Gardenhire, Harris, and junior Derrick Corbett (New Haven, Conn.) all scored in double figures with 14, 11, and 10 points respectively. Harris added six rebounds and a season high eight assists to his totals. Sullivan scored seven points and pulled down a game high and personal season high 13 rebounds, one shy of his career high of 14 set at Massachusetts-Lowell one year ago.

The Owls return to the court on Saturday, as they travel to Springfield, Mass. to challenge American International College in a Northeast-10 contest. The action tips off from Butova Gymnasium at 3:30 p.m.