UMass rallies behind Pipkins to beat Saint Joseph's 72-69

Jan 15, 2018, 12:34 am

AMHERST, Mass. -- Luwane Pipkins scored 27 points and made all six of his free throws in the final 35 seconds and Massachusetts completed a comeback win and beat Saint Joseph's 72-69 on Sunday.

Shevar Newkirk -- who scored six of the Hawks' last 10 points -- missed a 3-pointer and a chance to tie with two seconds left. Newkirk and James Demery led Saint Joseph's with 22 points apiece.

The Hawks closed the first half with a 14-7 run for a 37-25 lead at halftime. Newkirk made three layups and a pair of free throws in the last six minutes. Demery's dunk 1 1/2 minutes in extended the lead to 16.

Later, down 12, UMass (10-8, 3-2 Atlantic 10) closed to 54-49 with a 13-6 run when Pipkins made a 3 and a layup, Carl Pierre had a 3 and C.J. Anderson had a 3-point play.

Rayshawn Miller tied it at 59 with a 3 with 5:34 left. That was part of a four-minute scoring drought for St. Joseph's (7-9, 2-3) in which UMass posted a 10-0 run and led 64-59.

Newkirk and Nick Robinson sandwiched a layup each between one from Newkirk, and Demery added a pair of free throws to reduce the Hawks' deficit to 66-65 before Pipkins sealed it from the line.

Pierre scored 17 points with five 3-pointers and Anderson had 12.