Everette Hammond scored 20 points, and Ayinde Hikim made a pair of free throws with five seconds left to clinch UMass Lowell’s 72-70 win over Maine in an America East men’s basketball game Thursday night at Lowell, Massachusetts.

Maine (6-8, 0-1 America East) twice got within one point after trailing by 13 early in the second half but couldn’t complete the comeback. Gedi Juozapaitis paced the Black Bears with 18 points, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Kellen Tynes (12 points), Jayden Clayton (11) and Peter Filipovity (10) also finished in double figures.

Hikim and Connor Withers each had 15 points for the River Hawks (14-2, 2-0).

CURRY 72, UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND 58: Nick Johnson had 18 points to lead four players in double figures as the Colonels (3-9, 1-4 Commonwealth Coast) defeated the Nor’easters (2-10, 0-5) in Milton, Massachusetts.

Jayden Thornton led UNE with 12 points.

TEXAS: The Longhorns fired their head coach, Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, with the school telling his attorney that Beard is “unfit” for the position.

Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract that included a provision he could be fired for cause if he was charged with a felony or committed other behavior unbecoming of his position or that reflected poorly on the university.

The charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation family violence carries a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years if convicted; the woman told police Beard strangled and bit her, but later denied he choked her.

Beard had been suspended without pay since he was arrested, and school officials had said there was internal investigation.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND 71, CURRY 58:  Keegan Dunbar got 13 of her 20 points in the second half as the Nor’easters (8-4, 4-1 Commonwealth Coast) erased a 10-point halftime deficit against the Colonels (5-7, 1-4) in Milton, Massachusetts.

Faye Veilleux led UNE with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

BOSTON COLLEGE 4, MAINE 1: Kelly Browne scored twice, and Cayla Barnes and Abby Newhook each had a goal and an assist for the Eagles (12-7-1, 10-5 America East) in a win over the Black Bears (11-11, 8-7) in Boston.

Maine’s Luisa Welcke opened the scoring in the second period.