Trevor Cullen
Connector Editor

The men’s basketball team battled in a losing effort on Saturday, Feb. 15 against Stony Brook, falling 78-68. While the loss dropped UMass Lowell to 8-17 overall (6-7 in America East) one team member surpassed a River Hawk milestone.

Senior standout Akeem Williams surpassed the 2,000 point mark during the game against Stony Brook. Coming into the contest, Williams was 18 points shy of the mark.

A native of Brockton, Mass., Williams became just the fifth player in River Hawks history to reach 2,000 points. Against Stony Brook, he continued his aggressive play and well rounded skill set, finishing with a game high 20 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.

He is also just 32 points away from passing Bill Quirk (’66-’70) as the fourth highest scoring in the UMass Lowell men’s basketball program.

While the game did not end with the result the River Hawks desired, the game was undoubtedly entertaining. A quick Seawolves lead in the first half was countered by a River Hawk response, which included an emphatic dunk by the River Hawk’s Antonio Bivins set up by who, other than Williams.

The second half saw the Seawolves return the favor with additional interest, as they increased their lead to 21 behind strong offense and some impressive slam-dunks of their own.

As is their way, the River Hawks continued to fight, cutting the lead to as little as eight points in the latter stages of the second half.

Williams’ influence was ever present in the comeback effort. He hit a three pointer in the final minutes of the second half with a Stony Brook defenseman all over him to pass the 2,000 mark.

With the final stretch of their season approaching, the River Hawks will look to enjoy the presence of their seniors and continue playing hard. The impressions that the team can make with the remainder of this season will set the precedent for the team’s future in America East.