Angel Montas' 25 points lead UMass-Lowell over New Hampshire

River Hawks defeat Wildcats 78-56 in America East Conference matchup

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Angel Montas scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead UMass-Lowell to a 78-56 victory over New Hampshire in an America East Conference basketball game on Thursday. Xavier Spencer added 17 points for the River Hawks, who improved to 12-15 overall and 7-5 in conference play. Belal El Shakery had 16 points and 8 rebounds for the Wildcats, who fell to 8-17 on the season and 4-8 in the America East.

Why it matters

This win keeps UMass-Lowell in the hunt for a top-half finish in the America East standings, which would improve their chances of earning a berth in the conference tournament. New Hampshire, meanwhile, continues to struggle in league play as they aim to build momentum for next season.

The details

Montas led the way for UMass-Lowell, shooting an efficient 9-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Spencer also had a strong game, making 6-of-10 shots. For New Hampshire, El Shakery was the top scorer, but the Wildcats shot just 38% as a team and were outrebounded 40-30.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 20, 2026.

The players

Angel Montas

A forward for the UMass-Lowell River Hawks who led the team with 25 points and 10 rebounds in the win.

Xavier Spencer

A guard for the UMass-Lowell River Hawks who scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting.

Belal El Shakery

A forward for the New Hampshire Wildcats who had a team-high 16 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“This was a big win for us to keep pace in the America East standings. Angel really set the tone with his dominant performance on both ends of the floor.”

— Pat Duquette, Head Coach, UMass-Lowell

What’s next

UMass-Lowell will look to build on this victory when they host Albany on Saturday, February 22nd. New Hampshire will try to snap their 3-game losing streak when they travel to take on UMBC on the same day.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the continued growth of UMass-Lowell's program under Coach Duquette, as they were able to take care of business at home against a conference foe. For New Hampshire, it was another tough loss in a season filled with struggles, but they'll look to regroup and finish the year strong.