The Connector - December 5, 2017

Cumnock Hall renovations generate mixed responses â–ş Page 3

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

December 5, 2017

The winning streak has ended

In This Issue

River Hawks lose to Bentley in OT game

Punisher review

â–ş Page 4

Hannah Manning

Campus Living Series: Sheehy â–ş Page 6

Connector Editor

Matt Harris feature

â–ş Page 8

Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

Men’s Basketball vs. Loyola

W 83-75

Women’s Basketball vs. Colgate

L 64-84 2-6

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Bentley

L 3-2 8-7-0

Men’s Basketball vs. Sacred Heart

L 87-80 5-2

5-2

Gender inclusivity on campus Veronica Cashman Connector Staff

Over the past years, UMass Lowell has significantly increased its efforts to demonstrate support and appreciation for underrepresented members of the student body, such as those who identify as LGBTQ. However, some students along with faculty argue that there is much more that can be done to create a safer and more inclusive environment for members of its community.

The university has always done its best to provide a diverse and comprehensive environment for its students. The recent installation of gender-neutral bathrooms and implementation of gender inclusive housing on campus are two ways in which the university has helped shed light on members of the LGBTQ community. “The university is known for being inclusive and diverse to all students, where they can feel comfortable in their own skin,� said fine arts major Teresa Santana. “In terms of bathrooms and housing, this made it more welcoming to students who commute and live on campus.�

Any student living on campus has the option to select gender inclusive housing through the Office of Residence Life. “This helps any student who feels comfortable living with a certain gender or sex possible and can make where they live their home away from home,â€? â–ş See “Inclusivity,â€? page 7

Sections

News.............................3 Campus Life..................6 A&E.............................. 5 Sports........................... 8

An unevenly played game led to the UMass Lowell men’s ice hockey team snapping their four-game win streak on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at the Tsongas Center. The River Hawks were handed a tough 3-2 overtime loss in a nonconference matchup against the Bentley University Falcons.

With this loss, the River Hawks fell to an 8-70 record while Bentley earned their fourth win in a row to bring their reMatt Dwyer/Connector cord up to 4-7-4.

It was the result of a Senior forward Ryan collins takes a puck past the blue line on Tuesday. grueling physical contest was good for his team to Bentley head coach Ryan hoping to notch another tally in the win column on the part of Bentley, get out of the Atlantic Soderquist.

The loss was difficult Hockey conference and against a non-conference and the coach acknowledged this with pride. He best a Hockey East team. for the River Hawks to opponent that they have “Sometimes, you just swallow, as they came not played since Dec. 30, said that while it was, at have to win ugly,â€? said back from a 10-day break 2012. times, a rough game, it â–ş See “Hockey,â€? page 8

Watching ‘Coco’ should be the new Thanksgiving tradition Dorian Taylor Connector Staff

“Coco� is a movie that every family should see together. Not only does this movie provide the perspective of a culture outside of the U.S., but it reminds us how

valuable family is. “Coco� tells the story of Miguel, a young Mexican musician born into a shoemaking family, who struggles to suppress his passion for music in a family where music is entirely banned. The story takes place

during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and an interesting series of events pulls Miguel into the world of the dead, where he must find his legendary musician grandfather to help send him back â–ş See “Coco,â€? page 5 Courtesy of MovieWeb.com

Courtesy of The Verge

“Coco� premiered on Nov. 22, 2017 and features the voice of Gael Bernal.

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Page 2

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NEWS Repurposing of Cumnock Hall greeted with mixed response Andre Ragel Connector Staff

As students walked around North Campus on a busy morning, they hurried down the various paths leading to different academic buildings along University Avenue. It was a sunny day, and doors swung back and forth except for the six wooden doors in front of Cumnock Hall that sat untouched throughout the morning. However, starting in January, these doors will temporarily be shut for another reason as the university repurposes this 63-year-old building into the “North Campus Living Room” in time for next fall.

Cumnock Hall's renovation marks the next step in the university's 10year commitment of restoring and updating some of its oldest infrastructures and bringing them up to par with today's standards.

When Cumnock opens next fall, students will find increased seating that will create new spaces to hang out and grab a bite between classes, especially for the large commuter base.

Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Larry Siegel is optimistic that students will utilize and embrace this new space that is modeled after

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Cumnock Hall was opened in 1956 as part of the Lowell Technological Institute.

McGauvran Student Center at South Campus.

"I would walk around campus in see students sitting on steps [or] eating lunches in cars. They had no place to go since [North Campus] is not as green as we have made South," said Siegel.

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consultants to determine a solution to this problem. The results of this study concluded that available non-academic space at North Campus is very undersized in relation to its population.

In addition, Cumnock Hall was determined to be the least efficiently used space on campus.

According to the final report, during the year 2015, Cumnock was mostly used by groups who had under 50 participants for a few hours per day, while events with over 200 participants only took place a few times during the semester. In 2016, the space was used even less frequently, with days passing in which Cumnock would sit completely empty.

Among the student groups affected by the closing and renovation of Cumnock Hall is the Latin American Student Association (LASA). Every April, LASA's end of the year celebration at Cumnock, called "Rumba Latina," draws over 250 students for a night of cultural performances, food and dancing. For next year's event, LASA President Marcos Aguilar and his executive board are forced to find another centrally-located venue that could handle the large attendance.

"We're working with LASA and other student organizations who are affected by this renovation to find the best option with little to no cost," said Siegel referring to alternative spaces for large student events such as the Recreation Center basketball courts, Moloney Hall with a capacity of 300

students and the Inn & Conference Center Junior Ballroom, which is larger than Cumnock Hall with a capacity of 400-500 students.

"I'm pretty bummed. I'm worried about students not going next year because any other location will be less accessible to students compared to Cumnock which is centered and easier," said Valeria Rendon, LASA's public relations officer.

However, beyond this inconvenience, the executive board's biggest grievance is that they feel their voice was not heard when the study was conducted.

"I do understand why they have to close Cumnock, but I heard about it when they were announcing it to the public. There was no input from students," said LASA's social chair Dominic Flores.

According to Flores, "It doesn't feel like it's for the students more than for making profit for the university."

Many students on North seem to be excited about the idea of Cumnock being repurposed into a student lounge, especially commuter students like freshman Jonathan Meister. He is most excited about not having to walk to East Campus or to Southwick Dining Hall just to get a bite between classes.

"Southwick is small and doesn't have a good variety of food. And I never go to the library because it's always packed and there's nowhere to sit," said Meister, who is also a Student Government Association senator for the Francis College of Engineering.

According to Siegel, Cumnock Hall is not meant to be a full-service dining hall when it reopens in September, but is rather a student lounge that would sell breakfast pastries, bagels and coffee in the morning and grab-and-go meals during lunch. Students who have purchased a meal plan will be able to use meal swipes during lunch.

It is Siegel's hope that this would help students to maximize the value of their meal plans and allow them to save their River Hawk dollars for other purchases.

Many students will greatly benefit from this project once it is completed. The doors to Cumnock, which has been serving students for 63 years now, will swing open again in the fall.

Courtesy of YouVisit

International Festival holding an event in Cumnock Hall pre-renovations.

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December 5, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

One should go go to see ‘Coco’ ►Continued from front page home to his family.

Pixar movies have always been known for their high-quality visuals and graphics with moving story telling, and their 19th movie “Coco” is no exception. This movie is visually stunning. From the more obvious visuals like the beautiful cityscape of the colorful land of the dead, to the subtle details like the freckles on Miguel’s cheeks and the movement of his hair, “Coco” goes above and beyond industry standards to create a beautiful looking film.

Aside from the talking skeletons and the teleporting to and from the land of the dead, “Coco” is very realistic. The characters of the family act and talk like real family members. The dialogue feels very real and the story feels very relatable, even for those who cannot relate to the celebration of the Day of the Dead. Younger members of the audience can feel Miguel’s frustration when his family tells him he is not allowed to do what he is passionate about, and older members can probably relate to the family’s concern to protect Miguel and do what is best for him.

The film’s biggest flaw is predictability. Granted, this movie’s intended audience includes children, but this is not really a serious issue. With that being said, even if the direction the film is going in is clear, the creators of this film execute it so well that they it lands more satisfyingly than one might expect.

When viewing a Pixar movie in theaters, audienc-

es can count on seeing an original Pixar short animated film before the actual movie begins as Pixar has been doing this consistently for many years. Before “Coco” plays however, fans will be forced to watch a painfully long, 21 minute short film called “Olaf ’s Frozen Adventure,” featuring the characters Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Director Lee Unkrich also directed “Toy Story 3.”

from Disney’s “Frozen.” The story is very annoying and seemingly endless, especially since audiences are accustomed to Pixar shorts being about five minutes long, sitting through “Olaf ’s Frozen Adventure” will probably be grueling to those who are not huge fans of “Frozen.”

This film is wonderfully paced, as the creators take their time immersing their audience into this historically rich family. This results in audience

members slowing becoming more and more emotionally involved in the story until the ending, where suddenly they find themselves tearing up or crying over these fictional, animated family members.

Music played a prominent role in this film, and fortunately there was not a single song that felt like it did not have a purpose. Every song was beautiful, and even the moments where Miguel just strummed the guitar once can be spine-tingling.

Although many viewers of the movie’s trailer might associate this film with Halloween, “Coco” was appropriately released on Thanksgiving, as this story is ultimately about family. “Coco” accurately covers the entire spectrum of emotions that we feel about our families, from being frustrated and misunderstood to feeling loved and accepted. Like every Pixar movie, “Coco” is a perfect film for families to sit down and watch together. Children will enjoy the slapstick comedy and the eye catching, colorful visuals, and younger adults and parents will enjoy the emotional and inspiring story about family and passion.

This movie takes the audience on a thrilling and emotionally involved adventure, as well as exposes them to a cultural aspect they may not be familiar with. Pixar’s decision to set this story in Mexico in a time of tension between the U.S. and Mexico reveals the company’s objective to help cultures understand one another and unite the world through their universal story-telling.

Final Grade: A

Watching ‘Big Mouth’ is a big mistake Owen Johnson Connector Editor

The lesson anyone who watches the show should derive from “Big Mouth” is to not judge a book by its cover. While it may be a Netflix original series and have a number of prominent comedic actors attached to it, it is a disastrous farce of a comedy.

A group of adolescent friends in middle school deal with the hardships of growing up and going through puberty. A number of pertinent topics are brought up, including hormones, getting your first period, first relationships and breakups.

Based on premise alone, the show probably could have been good for the niche audience who enjoys gross out humor, but that is not what the show does. It does have certain elements of gross out humor, but it is mixed in with bizarre absurdist comedy.

The show seems to be aiming for a “South Park” vibe when it comes to its comedy and premises. “South Park” is an absurdist comedy featuring elementary school age children getting into whacky hijinks, and “Big Mouth” is an absurdist comedy featuring middle school age children getting into whacky hijinks. The problem is that “Big Mouth” does not understand the absurdist comedy of “South Park” enough to do anything more than mirror the vibe. Absurdism is obviously supposed to be absurd, but there still needs to be some grounding into the logistics of the show’s world, and “Big Mouth” fails to accomplish that.

The best example of this is with the

show’s use of imaginary characters. In “Big Mouth,” there is a corporeal representation of hormones known as the Hormone Monster (Nick Kroll). The idea on its own is fine, but the rules about his existence make no sense.

There seem to be three hormone monsters that are spread out amongst the

from the characters just saying things instead of jokes being made, and the things that the characters are saying that is intended to be funny falls flat because the dialogue moves too quickly, making it so that there is no comedic timing for the joke to hit and no breathing room for the joke to settle

Courtesy of Netflix

“Big Mouth” has already been renewed for a second season.

people who live in the show’s setting, then it seems like half the time only one character can see it, and other times multiple characters can, and it is never made clear which is the case.

On top of that, there is also a strange occurrence in the world where some inanimate objects are actually alive, including one characters’ pillow and bathroom mat. There are no rules to any of this, so instead of these absurd happenings coming across as funny, they are just confusing.

Even if the absurdism actually worked, the comedy just is not funny.

Comedy is of course subjective, but there is still a way to analyze whether humor is done well or not, and “Big Mouth” constantly falls into the ‘not’ category. The humor is mainly derived

in. So much of the humor is this way that the episodes where they actually use proper comedic timing, such as the show’s second episode, “Everybody Bleeds,” stand out even more.

It is strange that the show seems so oblivious to the rules of comedy considering the number of prominent comedians who were working on the show. The series was created by and stars Kroll, and other comedians who star in the show include John Mulaney, Jordan Peele and Fred Armisen. Whether or not one finds these people to be funny, the point still stands that all of these people together should have realized that there were no jokes and there was no comedic timing to anything. It seems like the show managed to wrangle up a bunch

of comedic actors who know how to be funny with proper writing and directing from others, but when put on their own they do not actually understand the craft.

It seems unfair to constantly shine the spotlight on the issues of the comedy when there are other aspects to the show that deserve deprecation.

For one thing, the animation of the show is terrible. The character models are all appalling, horrific and lazily designed. Due to that, the show is aesthetically displeasing to look at. In fact, the only character that actually has a good design is the female Hormone Monster (Maya Rudolph) as it is the only one that looks like there was some amount of creativity put into the design and is not an eye sore to look at.

Then there is the voice acting. Kroll does well as the Hormone Monster and Coach Steve, but when he is playing Nick, an adolescent boy who still has not started going through puberty, he has a deeper voice than every other character on the show. Mulaney just races through his character’s dialogue, and Jessi Klein sounds like an adult woman as opposed to an adolescent girl who is starting to go through puberty. The only adolescent character who actually sounds their age is Missy (Jenny Slate).

There is so much wrong with “Big Mouth” that it is not even funny.

Boom. That was a better crafted joke than anything “Big Mouth” has to offer.

Final Grade: D-

December 5, 2017

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The price of young fame: The Lil Peep tribute Kelly Skelton Connector Editor

Here is the situation at hand: picture a teenager from a rough neighborhood with an incredible amount of musical talent with a unique personality. The culture around is that of rap music and substance abuse. Rap music allows for an outlet to express feelings and still maintain credibility in the community, where weakness is exploited.

Next is substance abuse: alcohol and prescription drugs help peers escape their reality, and so peer pressure forces one to join in. The school system is underfunded and the value of academics is rarely touched upon. Now, flash forward a few months where one dropped out of school to pursue music, one of the only ways to make it out of the current situation.

This is the story that all too many rap fanatics are familiar with. Artists in this genre commonly rise out of the most crime-ridden cities in America. Although these artists often end up touring the world, their demons follow close behind their rise to fame.

This is the case of Gustav Ahr, better known for his stage name of Lil Peep. Sadly, the 21-year-old popstar has lost his life. Lil Peep was pronounced dead on Nov. 15 from an apparent overdose.

The New York native frequently included drug abuse, and more specifically Xanax, in his songs.

The tell-tale signs were obvious, but they were not enough to save Peep. Prior to his show in Tucson, Ariz. Peep laid down for a nap, never to awake

again. The blame could be cast on many: friends, family, management and even Peep himself. Rather than blame, people must mourn and learn.

Courtesy of the Åhr estate

Lil Peep released his first mix tape, “Lil Peep Part One,” in 2015.

Peep broke into the rap scene in 2016 with hit songs like “Beamer Boy” and “White Wine.” His colorful style was an interesting clash with his emotional lyrics. Many considered him the biggest emo-rapper. Peep’s raw emotion was evident. In

an interview with the music blog Montreality earlier this year, Peep expressed his current state. “The [things] I talk about are real, so there isn’t much to lose right now,” said Peep. Common topics of his music included love gone wrong, dark reflection on past experiences and drug abuse.

The previous statement may seem like a cry for help, but Peep denied contemplations of suicide later on in the interview. “Everything changes with time… there have been very low points, but my mom always tells me that time will heal everything… it will get better… be grateful for what you have, there’s people fighting to survive, live on for them,” said Peep.

Hopefully this tragedy will serve as an eye-opening experience and shift the current culture of rap.

The likes of Xanax, Codeine and Percocet have long been glorified in modern-day rap music. From a production standpoint, the effect of the substances has been obvious. However, Peep is the first mainstream artist to fall to these demons. The tragic news triggered well-known rap star Lil Uzi Vert to announce that he was making an effort to become sober.

The response by the hip-hop community continued with many artists expressing their condolences via social media. Lil Peep’s management is releasing a merchandise line for tribute. A “Rest in Peep” charity group created a pop-up shop in Downtown Los Angeles. All proceeds will be donated to Lil Peep’s mother and the Music Cares Foundation.

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December 5, 2017

CAMPUS LIFE

Gambling After Dark expansion pulls in even more students Shane Foley Connector Staff

After several alterations to the usual program, Gambling After Dark 2017 proves to be another huge success.

According to Justin Killgoar, senior committee member who helped oversee the program, just over 300 people came to Gambling After Dark this year. The program also partnered with the It’s On Us initiative, and 147 new people signed up to pledge their dedication to preventing sexual violence.

As to how the program garnered as much attendance, Killgoar said much of it had to do with the added tables outside the venue.

“I feel like expanding our operation into the lounge really helped,” said Killgoar. “We had our usual occupancy, but it felt less crowded, which I think people enjoyed.”

The line to get into the venue also extended outside the main room. The line was hardly ever clogged, however, and attendees had an easy time walking through.

Not only did the event look different, but more information was available as well. In particular, information on bystander prevention captured the eye of many attendees. One such attendee, Alex Drollette, said he would have never known the information

otherwise.

“While I knew a good majority of that information already, a lot of the extra ones, like bystander prevention, I would not have known a lot of things about that,” said Drollette.

in the Dark, which took place directly after the event. The event involved people anonymously asking questions so that they could be answered without identifying the person asking.

That event saw 40 people come to it.

staff, which included 40 volunteers.

“We did a much better job at preparing people. The person coordinating volunteers did a great job,” said Killgoar. “The things I needed to address were quickly dealt with, and the committee did a great job setting things up so that no issues would arise.”

Another new face that was nice to see was WUML, who played music throughout the night. Their playlist mostly comprised of ‘50s swing songs from the likes of Frank Sintara and Dean Martin, with modern top 40 songs sprinkled in.

Killgoar thought that the inclusion of WUML helped increase attendance greatly. “Using WUML instead of DJ brings us back to the community,” said Killgoar.

In addition to the new features were the usual casino games and tables.

The Roulette tables and the horse races that are typically popular were again heavily praised that evening.

Many prizes were also distributed throughout the night. Those prizes ranged from sex related objects to gift cards, headphones and other accessories.

Courtesy of Gambling After Dark By all accounts, it seems that GamGambling After Dark teaches students sexual education while having fun with casino bling After Dark met their goals for games.

Another interesting nuance brought As senior committee member, Kill- the year. to the table this year was the Sex Talk goar was pleased with the help of his

December 5, 2017

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Page 7

CAMPUS LIFE

UMass Lowell community hopes for more gender inclusivity ►Continued from front page

Santana said.

Although these changes have raised awareness . and sensitivity toward the LGBTQ community, some believe there is still more to be done.

“As a student who has been advocating for a physical space for LGBTQ students, the university does not provide enough safe spaces for them on campus,” said David Aguiar, a psychology major and diversity peer educator on campus. “There is a significant difference between saying that a university is a safe space for people of LGBTQ to study and actually creating a physical space where students can actually feel included and safe.”

The university has established several resource organizations that aim to promote ally-ship, which can be through creating supportive relationships between the straight and LBTQ communities. The Pride Alliance and the Office of Multicultural Affairs carry out this goal by providing an accepting environment for all. However, there is always room for improvement.

“In terms of raising awareness of gender equity, part of the challenge is creating more resources, really having safe spaces and places where people feel safe about coming together,” said Meg Bond, the director of the Center for Women and Work.

“Whether its LGBTQ individuals or allies, creating those types of safe spaces is really important and essential.”

Students and faculty said the enforcement of . these resources has undoubtedly assisted those who identify as LGBTQ. However, the issue lies within

the lack of information through the academic curriculum regarding the LGBTQ community.

“People are not very well educated about gender orientation and there is a lot for people to learn through helping people understand the issues of sexuality and gender identity,” Bond said. “The whole notion of allies really involves an effort from the whole community to better understand. It is going to be particularly supportive if the rest of the community is informed and that’s why education on the topic should be expanded much more broadly.”

Early subjection to the topics of ally-ship and gen-

der identity at the university could prove beneficial towards their mission to advocate for inclusivity.

“Since incoming freshmen already have to complete drug and alcohol training, why not throw in a 15 minute gender/cultural sensitivity training?” junior psychology student Emma Botelho says. “It would mandate some kind of exposure to the material without making it overwhelming.” .Students and faculty appear hopeful that the university will continue to endeavor down the path to improve inclusiveness and ally-ship amongst the UMass Lowell community.

Courtesy of UMass Lowell

In April of 2016, UMass Lowell designated 40 single-person bathrooms around campus as gender-neutral restrooms.

Campus Living Series: Sheehy offers various living learning communities

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“I wish the size of the room was slightly bigger.

I feel constantly cramped even with minimal stuff.

There’s a lot of storage available but I feel like I need more,” said freshman music studies major Rachel Sullivan.

Sullivan had an issue during the beginning of the year with her rooming assignment, and she credits the friendly staff of Sheehy Hall in welcoming her and making her move easy.

“The RAs and staff of Sheehy are really nice and supportive of me moving out and transferring into a new suite,” said Sullivan ///////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////// For students looking for a laidback suite-style living accommodation with sweeping views of the Merrimack River, then Sheehy Hall is something to strongly consider.

“It’s a good price, great location. It’s my favorite.

I will absolutely live here next year,” said Danas.

Getting Ahead

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Notes: grsc Size: 10.25˝ x 8˝

Located in the heart of South Campus, Sheehy Hall offers a friendly atmosphere within a relaxed environment close to the Merrimack River.

Opened in 1989, this residence hall is named after former Lowell City Manager and Massachusetts State Representative Paul J. Sheehy. Sheehy was a 1958 alumnus of Lowell State College who played a key role in the formation of the University of Lowell in 1975. Today, around 270 co-ed students call Sheehy Hall their second home, including those who live in the Living Allegro, Creative Artists and MediaMakers Living Learning Communities (LLC).

Rooms in Sheehy Hall come in configurations of four, six and eight-person suites. Every room comes with a standard set of furniture that includes a bed, mattress, wardrobe, dresser and a rolling chair. The spacious common area also includes a sink, two bathrooms and showers. However, unlike University or Riverview Suites, there is no air-conditioning available at Sheehy. There is a ping-pong table, pool table and TV in The Link, a large common area shared with Concordia Hall located in the lobby.

The price of living at Sheehy is about average at $9,833 per year, similar to what a student would pay living at a suite in Concordia Hall but not as expensive as living in University Suites.

Residents of Sheehy Hall park in several lots around South such as the South Campus Garage and the Broadway/Riverview lot. In addition, Sheehy is served by the Red, Blue and Yellow campus shuttles that can be picked up infront of O’Leary Library, a short stroll away.

In addition, its proximity to the McGauvran Student Union, South Campus Dining Commons and O’Leary Library make Sheehy Hall an ideal residence hall for students like Johanna Danas who is

happy about the short stroll she has to all her classes compared to the walk that residents of Riverview Suites have to do every day.

During her time at Lowell High School, Danas was heavily involved in musical groups such as show choir, Sound Impressions and Soundsations.

Although she ended up picking English for a major, she still enjoys channeling her inner musical self which is fostered by living at Sheehy.

“It’s nice being in a musical environment even though I’m not a music major. I really like all the people; a lot come over from Concordia to Sheehy,” said Danas.

There are not many complaints students had about Sheehy, a good sign of reliability that many students look for when choosing a residence hall.

“We didn’t really have an AC. The first month was really hot. I don’t get hot really easily,” said Danas.

IO#: 32767-32767b

Connector Staff

Publication: Media Mate Job# 32767 Mechanical: JB

Andre Ragel

Courtesy of YouVisit

Sheehy Hall houses the Living Allegro, Creative Artists and MediaMakers Living Learning Communities.

My Way

Winter 2017-2018 Intersession Courses Dec. 26 - Jan. 15 Choose from 26 online undergraduate courses.

$1,090 per course Register now at Framingham.edu/winter or call 508-626-4755.

framingham.edu

December 5, 2017

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

Page 8

SPORTS Matt Harris leading a successful men’s basketball team Kelly Skelton Connector Staff

The UMass Lowell men’s basketball team is off to their best start since entering Division I. The team has won five of their first seven games, with key wins over opponents that got the better of them in the previous season. Chances are, those who are familiar with River Hawks basketball are also familiar with senior guard Matt Harris. Number 22 for the UMass Lowell is currently averaging over 16 points a game and has been known to score in bunches during critical moments for UMass Lowell.

This year marks the first time that the River Hawks are eligible for both the America East postconference play and the NCAA tournament. The increased importance of the games this year has undoubtedly excited the staff, players and fans.

Serving as added motivation, the team certainly recognized the meaningfulness of this season.

“A switch definitely flipped, not only with me but with the team,” said Harris. “We realize that this year is special and that this is the first time that we don’t know when our season is going to end. Being a senior, I try to approach every day like it is my last time playing.”

Harris is shooting 46 percent this season from beyond the arc. “Matt is one of the best [3-point shooters] not only at this level but also in the country,” said UMass Lowell assistant coach Louis Hinnant.

Harris, the well-respected shooter and visible leader for the team, received the calling to pursue basketball initially from his family.

“My father was a basketball player. He won a state championship in high school and furthered his career in college,” said Harris. “My dad is a huge role model for me from a character perspective. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without him.”

The choice of UMass Lowell as Harris’ college destination was quite the road trip. The Erie, Penn. native knew that it would be difficult to move far away from his upbringing. Harris described the

feeling of Erie to be comparable with Lowell: both are cities in cold weather climates.

“My dream, from an early age, was always to play Division I [basketball]. The hardest part about coming here was the distance from home.

I’m eight hours away [from home], but my parents do a great job keeping up with me,” Harris said.

Though his dream of playing college basketball had come true, Harris joined a team that was struggling to adjust to the caliber of Division I competition. The early struggles served as a learning experience.

“We’ve definitely had our rough patches. I feel

Matt Dwyer/Connector

Matt Harris is one of the leading 3-point shooters for the River Hawks.

that the tough times were building blocks to where we are now,” said Harris. “The players that have [since] graduated really helped us become the team we are today.”

U P C OM I N G

River Hawk Games Tuesday, Dec. 5

7 p.m.

MBB at Wagner

Thursday, Dec. 7

7 p.m.

WBB at Saint Peter’s

Friday, Dec. 8

7:15 p.m.

MICE vs BU

Saturday, Dec. 9

2 p.m. WBB at Fairleigh Dickinson

Saturday, Dec. 9

2 p.m.

MBB at Brown

Saturday, Dec. 9

7 p.m.

MICE at BU

For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com

Upon reflection, Harris said he thanks his coaching staff for the opportunity to represent UMass Lowell.

“I really appreciate Coach Duquette and the entire coaching staff for bringing me here and believing in me,” said Harris. “The entire athletic department and team treated me like family and made me feel comfortable like the way I felt back at home. That made my transition a lot easier.”

Harris studies within the Manning School of Business at UMass Lowell with concentrations in marketing and management. He said in the future, he would like to work in professional sports and entrepreneurship.

“After I receive my degree, I’m hoping to continue playing basketball either overseas or in the United States. [In addition], I hope to someday own my own business,” said Harris.

UMass Lowell fans can see Harris and the team back in action in Lowell on Wednesday, Dec. 13 as they return from a three-game road trip to host Boston University at 5 p.m.

“My first couple of weeks [in Lowell], I don’t think I said a word. Now, my coaches can’t stop me from talking,” Harris said. “[My teammates] are like brothers. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to be around.”

Disappointing overtime loss breaks River Hawks’ four-game win streak ► Continued from front page

“After a long layoff, we wanted to come out storming. But I thought we didn’t have enough urgency to take the game to the opponent,” said UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin.

While the game had its fair share of negatives for UMass Lowell, a few bright spots were present on the River Hawks’ roster. Senior forward John Edwardh kept the energy up as the time winded down, spearheading three consecutive scoring chances in the late third period.

Yet cracks showed early, and the lack of energy and urgency in the first two periods stifled the potential that the game once had. By the time UMass Lowell managed to warm itself up in the third period, it was far too little, far too late.

It was quiet in both the stands and on the ice throughout the game. Play between the Falcons and River Hawks was mostly back and forth, especially in the first period.

Senior forward Jake Kamrass opened up the scoring at 5:35 into the first period with a topshelf snipe that whipped past Bentley sophomore

goaltender Aiden Pelino.

Pelino turned in an impressive performance, stopping 27 shots in total and allowing Bentley to run away with the game. He allowed only one other goal, a shot from junior forward Nick Master.

Even with the thunderous response from the small but devoted crowd on Tuesday night when UMass Lowell did well, the River Hawks’ play ebbed and flowed as the game went on.

For what it is worth, the game was a nonconference matchup in the beginning of the week.

Yet it was mildly troubling that the River Hawks seemed content to let the Falcons breathe down their necks for 60 minutes.

The River Hawks played with at-times frustratingly low intensity, which mounted as Bentley came from behind to tie them twice in the game. Despite having a good handful of scoring chances in the first period and a portion of the second, UMass Lowell skated on neutral. Rebounds were not met and passing was sometimes spotty.

“We have to look from within the room. I think the third period, we don’t give up a shot [and] you

get to overtime, things usually go your way because you’re carrying the play. At the same time, it only takes one shot to score,” said Bazin.

The River Hawks especially had difficulty on the power play, failing to capitalize on any of the five chances offered to them by Bentley. Three of those chances came in the second period.

“I don’t think we committed to that part very well, and that’s something we’re going to need to get better at because when you have a few power play opportunities and you don’t take advantage of them, you’re kind of leaving the game in balance,” Bazin said.

The power play has been a season-long issue for the River Hawks. They have only scored 11 times out of 65 opportunities on the man advantage.

“The hunger and the power play wasn’t, obviously, good enough,” said Bazin.

The River Hawks head into another lengthy break as they will not play again until Dec. 8 in a home game against Boston University. Puck drop for the last home game until the upcoming year is at 7:15 p.m.