Albany Great Danes vs UMass Lowell River Hawks Picks and Predictions for Saturday March 7 2026

By: Kim Smith Published 03/07/2026, 02:00 AM ET

The Albany Great Danes and UMass Lowell River Hawks square off in the America East Playoffs Quarterfinal on Saturday March 7, 2026 at the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex in Lowell, Massachusetts. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM and the game will be televised on ESPN+. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to also check out our free college basketball picks for more expert analysis and betting predictions.

Albany Looking to Find Consistency

The Albany Great Danes enter this matchup with an 11-20 overall record and a 7-9 mark in America East play. Albany has struggled to maintain momentum late in the season but still managed to reach the conference quarterfinal round. The Great Danes recently lost to Vermont, recently won over New Hampshire, recently lost to Maine, recently lost to UMBC, and recently won over NJIT.

Offensively, Albany averages 71.8 points per game while allowing 72.6 points per game defensively. The Great Danes shoot 47% from the field and average 34.3 rebounds per contest along with 14.0 assists per game. On the defensive side they also contribute 3.8 blocks and 6.9 steals per game.

One of Albany’s strengths is its offensive balance. The Great Danes move the ball well and their assist numbers show they can generate quality shots when the offense is flowing. If Albany can maintain efficient shooting and avoid turnovers, they have the capability to keep pace in what could become an offensive matchup.

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River Hawks Defending Home Court

UMass Lowell enters the America East tournament with a 14-17 overall record and a 9-7 conference record. The River Hawks closed the regular season with mixed results but picked up a strong win heading into the postseason. UMass Lowell recently won over Maine, recently lost to UMBC, recently lost to Vermont, recently won over Binghamton, and recently won over New Hampshire.

The River Hawks average 74.9 points per game while allowing 75.8 points per game. They shoot 46% from the field and average 37.5 rebounds per game along with 12.5 assists. Defensively they also add 3.0 blocks and 5.2 steals per contest.

Rebounding is a key advantage for UMass Lowell, as the River Hawks average over three more rebounds per game than Albany. Their ability to create second-chance opportunities and control the paint could be an important factor in a tournament game where every possession becomes more valuable.

Albany vs UMass Lowell Pick

Albany Great Danes vs UMass Lowell River Hawks Pick

Pick: UMass Lowell River Hawks - Spread

UMass Lowell has the advantage of playing on its home floor and has been the more productive offensive team throughout the season. With better rebounding numbers and a slightly more efficient scoring attack, the River Hawks should be able to control the tempo and create enough scoring opportunities to pull away late.

Albany Great Danes vs UMass Lowell River Hawks Total Pick

Pick: Over

I expect this game to be played at a fairly quick pace. Both teams average over 70 points per game and neither defense has been particularly dominant this season. With both offenses capable of producing and Albany likely needing to push the tempo, this matchup sets up well for the total to go over.

Final Score Prediction: UMass Lowell 78, Albany 72

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