Junior Jimmie Hunt led the Ravens with 18 points and six rebounds against UMass Lowell

#13 UMass Lowell Turns Back Franklin Pierce, 71-56
Balanced attack leads River Hawks to season-opening win

RINDGE, N.H. (November 26, 2002) - A balanced offensive attack and tough defensive effort led University of Massachusetts Lowell, ranked No. 13 in the Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 poll, to a 71-56 victory over Franklin Pierce in Northeast-10 Conference men’s basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.

Four UMass Lowell players registered double-figures in scoring, led by a superb all-around effort by junior Elad Inbar, who netted 13 points, on five-of-nine shooting from the floor, grabbed a team-best nine rebounds and snared six steals. Classmate Uri Grunwald also totaled 13 points, hitting 4-8 from the floor - including 2-3 three-pointers.

The River Hawks limited Franklin Pierce to 38.5-percent (10-26) shooting in the second half, 40% (18-45) overall, to preserve their 13-point halftime advantage (37-24) which was built with the help of 12 first-half turnovers by the Ravens.

UMass Lowell saw its lead grow to 19 points (46-27) 3:55 into the second half, but Franklin Pierce was able to trim the deficit to seven points (48-41) thanks to a 14-2 run over the next five minutes. Sophomore transfer J.R. Thompson (Rockaway Beach, N.Y./Christ the King) sparked the run with six points off three steals.

However, the River Hawks built the lead back up to 14 and the Ravens never got any closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Junior Dana Jones added 12 points, six boards, four assists and two steals for UML, while sophomore James Whyte chipped in ten points, four rebounds and two blocks.

Junior Jimmie Hunt (Utica, N.Y./Mount Ararat (Maine)) led all scorers with 18 points for Franklin Pierce to go along with six rebounds. Classmate Derek Rodgerson (Newburgh, Maine/Hampden Academy) netted 15 points, draining 6-10 from the field (3-6 three’s), while senior Zvonko Ilic (Nis, Yugoslavia) added ten points and a team-best nine boards (three offensive).

Franklin Pierce (0-2, 0-2 NE-10) returns to action on Friday when it faces Alderson-Broaddus College at the Joe Manchin Classic, hosted by Salem International University. UMass Lowell (1-0, 1-0 NE-10) hosts Merrimack College on Sunday, December 1, at 4 p.m.

BOX SCORE