Preview: River Hawks Face Retrievers in America East Clash CATONSVILLE, Md. (Interstat) — The surging UMBC Retrievers host the UMass Lowell River Hawks in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Tuesday night, looking to continue their dominance in the America East Conference. The Retrievers (22-8) enter the regular-season finale having won eight consecutive games, including a decisive 84-60 victory over these same River Hawks just 10 days ago in Lowell. UMBC has not lost since Jan. 29, solidifying its position atop the conference standings. UMass Lowell (15-17) arrives with momentum from an 81-76 home win over Albany on Saturday, snapping a two-game skid. The River Hawks will seek to avenge their recent lopsided loss to UMBC and build on that positive result. The matchup features two of the league’s top performers. UMass Lowell is led by guard Angel Montas, who is coming off a spectacular 28-point, 7-rebound effort in 40 minutes against Albany. In his last seven games, Montas has scored 25 or more points five times, including a 33-point outburst at Maine. However, he was held to just 10 points in the Feb. 28 meeting with UMBC. UMBC counters with guard Ace Valentine, who scored 23 points in the Retrievers’ most recent win over New Hampshire. Valentine was instrumental in the first matchup with UMass Lowell, contributing 14 points and 4 assists in the 24-point rout. He has scored in double figures in nine straight games. The Retrievers have controlled the season series, winning both meetings by an average margin of 23.5 points. Their 79-56 win in Baltimore on Jan. 24 preceded the 84-60 victory in February. For UMass Lowell, supporting Montas will be critical. Guards Xavier Spencer and Darrel Yepdo combined for 36 points and 15 assists in the Albany win and will need similar production to challenge UMBC’s stout defense. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff at the UMBC Event Center. Both teams will look to carry momentum into the upcoming America East tournament, which begins later this week.