Terriers Down Dartmouth as Collins Nets Career-High 25 Points
December 12, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Freshman Chaz Carr (Manchester, CT) opened the game with a three-pointer 25 seconds into the game, and Collins made another 14 seconds later to stake B. U. to a 6-0 lead before Dartmouth even progressed the ball past halfcourt. The Terriers went up by as many as 13 points, at 18-5, on another Carr three-pointer with 14:04 left in the period.
The Terriers went on a 13-0 run late in the first half to open up a lead of as many as 23 points. The Terriers, who entered the game averaging eight three-pointers per contest through the first eight games, made 8 of 12 treys in the first half and shot 60.7 percent from the field, compared to Dartmouth's 33.3 percent.
Collins was the story of the first half, making 4 of 6 three-pointers in the first half, including two in the final 1:28 of the period to put B. U. up, 40-17, with 46 seconds left. He finished the half with 14 points, just one point shy of his career high of 15 points. His 4-for-6 effort from the three-point line was in keeping with his average of .652 from behind the line entering the game - placing him 18th in the country.
Carr and sophomore forward Jason Grochowalski (Shrewsbury, MA) finished the half with eight points each. Senior guard Flinder Boyd was Dartmouth's high scorer with seven points.
"We looked like we had more energy than they did right from the beginning," Terrier head coach Dennis Wolff said. "Collins had probably his best game - in every facet of the game - since he's been here. This was a good win for us, we needed this one going into exams."
Boston University was in control for the entire second half, as the lead never fell below 14 points. Twice the Terriers held 24-point leads, the second time on a three-pointer from Collins which made the score 62-38 with 8:38 left. Collins finished the game with 25 points. He made a career-high seven field goals, and was a career-high 6 of 8 from behind the three-point line.
"We came out hitting the three-pointers early," Collins said. "Tonight we kept hitting them, and we got a good mix of inside-out play, so once Dartmouth started coming out on the shooters we threw it inside and we kicked it back out for the threes. This game really helps our confidence going into the long week before we have another game against Providence."
Also finishing in double figures for B. U. was Grochowalski, who broke out of a shooting slump with a 6-for-8 effort for 14 points. Carr finished with 12 points, and senior forward Nacho Rodriguez had a season-best 10 points and game-high seven rebounds. Dartmouth (5-3) was led by Boyd's 24 points. Junior forward Charles Harris had 13 points for the Big Green.
B. U. outrebounded Dartmouth, 37-22, and reversed a recent trend by grabbing 12 offensive boards to the Big Green's seven. Overall, the team shot 53.8 percent from the floor, besting its previous high mark of 53.5 percent in a win at Holy Cross on Dec. 1. The team's 11 three-pointers was also a season high.
B. U. (5-4) has 10 days off until its next game, a Dec. 22 matchup with the BIG EAST's Providence College Friars at Dunkin Donuts Arena. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
