The University at Albany men’s basketball team faced a tough start to their America East conference season, much like they have experienced throughout their nonconference schedule. In their opening game against UMass Lowell on Saturday in Lowell, Massachusetts, the Great Danes showed competitiveness in the first half but struggled with key moments that ultimately led to an 83-71 loss at the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex.

Coach Dwayne Killings acknowledged the challenges his team faced, stating, “The effort and the toughness and the grit that you need to have to win in this league, we did not have, and that’s on me.” He emphasized the need for improvement in preparing his players for the demands of conference play.

UAlbany (4-12 overall, 0-1 America East) was outmatched by UMass Lowell (6-10, 1-0) in several critical areas. The River Hawks dominated the boards, securing 18 offensive rebounds and converting them into 23 second-chance points. Overall, UMass Lowell held a 42-29 rebounding advantage over the Great Danes.

“We’re not rebounding the ball well enough,” Killings said. “We’re one of the more athletic teams in our league, but rebounding, it’s not technique, always. It’s just toughness. … They were the tougher group. They, to be honest, punked us in a lot of ways.”

On the offensive end, UAlbany struggled to find their rhythm, particularly from beyond the arc. They made just one of their first 12 three-point attempts, with Nas Muhammad shooting 1-of-8 from long range. A late surge led by Tarique Foster helped the Great Danes finish 5-of-18 from three-point distance.

The game started with a back-and-forth first nine minutes, but UMass Lowell took control in the final 11 minutes of the first half, outscoring UAlbany 19-11 to take a 36-28 lead at halftime.

In the second half, UMass Lowell continued their dominance, launching a 14-2 run in the first 4:28 of the period that extended their lead to 20 points. The River Hawks eventually led by as many as 23 before UAlbany staged a late rally to cut the deficit to eight points in the final minute.

Amir Lindsey was the standout performer for UAlbany, scoring 19 points and dishing out seven assists while playing all 40 minutes for the fourth time this season. Okechukwu Okeke added 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, along with eight rebounds and four blocks. Isaac Abidde contributed 11 points, while Nas Muhammad and Tarique Foster each scored 10 and eight points respectively.

Junior college transfer Abdoulaye Fall made his season debut, starting the game and contributing two points in 13 minutes. However, redshirt sophomore guard Zacharie Matulu, a regular starter, did not play due to a hamstring injury sustained during pregame warmups.

Xavier Spencer, Angel Montas Jr., and Austin Green led UMass Lowell with impressive performances. Spencer scored a game-high 23 points with six rebounds and five assists, Montas added 18 points and nine rebounds, and Green contributed 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, along with eight rebounds.

After a difficult start to their conference season, UAlbany will use a midweek bye to regroup and prepare for their next challenge. The Great Danes will return to action this coming Saturday at 2 p.m. when they host Bryant at Broadview Center, beginning a season-long three-game homestand.

“We’re going to take these next five or six days and we’re going to have to get after it,” Killings said. “We’re going to need to have some old-school practices, because I think we have the talent, the athleticism, but we don’t show it all the time, because there’s a lack of consistency.”