UMass Lowell Sneaks by Tigers, 71-70

BOX SCORE


Philadelphia, Pa. - Junior Akeem Williams scored the game-winning basket with less than three seconds on the clock as UMass Lowell defeated the Holy Family University men's basketball team by the score of 71-70 in a non-conference contest Saturday night at the Campus Center Gym.
 
Holy Family is now 2-2 overall, while UMass Lowell improves to 2-0 on the season.
 
Prior to Williams' game-winning basket, Holy Family tied the game and took the lead after junior Ervin Ezell (Deptford, N.J./Deptford High) converted a pair of free throws to give the Tigers a 70-69 lead with :16 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
On the following UMass Lowll possession, the River Hawks let the clock run down and with less than three seconds remaining Williams knocked down the eventual game-winner after receiving a pass from sophomore Chad Holley to make the score 71-70.
 
With 2.7 seconds showing on the clock, the Tigers ensuing inbounds pass went off target resulting in a turnover.  The River Hawks managed to inbound the in ball away from Holy Family defenders as the clock expired.  
 
Sophomore Eric Fleming (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), after less than 24 hours of setting a new career-high in points, led all-scorers with 25 points to lead the Holy Family offense.  Fleming shot 7-of-15 from the field, including 5-of-13 from beyond the arc.  His five three-pointers tied his career-high he set the night prior versus Molloy College.
 
Junior Ervin Ezell (Deptford, N.J./Deptford High) finished with 11 points and filled the stat sheet with five assists, five steals, four blocks and four rebounds.  Sophomore Richard Council (New York, N.Y./Rice) tallied seven points and a game-high and new-career best 12 rebounds, while senior Angel Ayala (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) contributed seven points, ten boards and five assists.
 
For UMass Lowell, junior Antonio Bivins finished with a team-high 23 points after shooting 7-of-15 from the field and 9-of-15 from the free throw line.  Williams finished with 17 points, while Holley contributed ten points. 
 
Holy Family erased a nine-point deficit early in the second half and used an 11-0 run to lead 40-39 at the 14:30 mark of the second half after a layup basket by Fleming.  It marked the Tigers first lead since leading 24-21 at the 5:38 mark of the first half.
 
Holy Family led by as many as five points (66-61) late in the second half after a pair of free throws by freshman Isaiah Gans (Philadelphia, Pa./Redemption Christian Academy) with 1:36 to play in the half.  UMass Lowell went on to outscore the Tigers, 10-4, the rest of the way. 
 
Holy Family is back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 20 as the Tigers host Shaw University in a non-conference contest.  Game time is slated for 8 p.m.
 

  - HFU -