LOWELL, Mass. – Loyola University Maryland cut the University of Massachusetts, Lowell's 10-point halftime lead to four twice in the second half's first four minutes, but the host River Hawks had an answer for that Greyhounds run and others, pulling away for a 97-79 non-conference victory at the Costello Athletic Center.
 
KaVaughn Scott scored seven points in the first two minutes, 45 seconds of the second half, making the backend of two free throws with 17:15 on the clock to close the gap to 47-42 after Loyola trailed 45-35 at halftime.
 
Minutes later, Andrew Kostecka, who had a team-high 23 points, turned the corner at the top of the perimeter and aggressively drove for a dunk that made it a four-point game, 50-46, at 16:44.
 
Christian Lutete made two of three at the free-throw line on the ensuing River Hawks' possession, but Isaiah Hart scored in the paint to draw Loyola back within four.
 
UMass Lowell (7-7 overall), however, scored the next seven points, capped by a Lutete traditional 3-point play, to push the lead back to 11 in less than two minutes.
 
Save for a Kostecka putback dunk at 13:35, and a Kenneth Jones fast-break layup after a Hart steal at 8:39 that made it a nine-point gap, the UMass Lowell remained in double-figures for the rest of the rest of the game.
 
Jones scored a career-high 12 points for Loyola, while Brent Holcombe added 16 and Chuck Champion had 11.
 
In the first half, Loyola used a 12-2 run to get within two, 32-30, on a Kostecka layup with 4:43 left before halftime, but UMass Lowell scored 11 of the next 12 points with a Lutete three stretching the lead to 43-31 with 1:40 on the clock.
 
Lutete scored 34 points to lead all players, knocking down 12 of 18 shots from the field. Obadiah Noel tallied 16, while Alex Rivera and Ryan Jones each scored 13 for the River Hawks.
 
The Greyhounds take a seven-day before for Christmas before returning to the floor on Friday, December 28, with a 7 p.m. game at North Carolina State.