Jan. 7, 2009
Box Score
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Jesyka Burks-Wiley posted a double-double with 18 points and a season-high 13 rebounds and the Terriers closed out the contest on a 13-2 run as the Boston University women's basketball team (7-6, 1-0 AE) defeated Stony Brook (2-11, 0-1 AE), 72-59, on Wednesday evening in the America East Conference opener.
SBU made a late charge on a 9-0 run with four minutes to go to bring the game to within two points, 59-57, but senior Kristi Dini nailed a trey and BU closed out the game on 10-for-13 free-throw shooting to leave Pritchard Gymnasium with the 13-point victory.
Burks-Wiley was 5-for-11 from the field and collected 10 defensive boards, earning BU's America East Player of the Game honors. Dini posted 14 points, and seniors Christine Kinneary and Amarachi Umez-Eronini added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The Terriers outscored the Seawolves 19-4 off turnovers and 27-24 in the paint.
The game opened with both squads trading baskets over the first eight minutes until the Terriers took a 17-11 advantage on a 6-0 spurt. BU opened the lead up to as much as seven points, 21-14, however, the Seawolves scored four quick points to close the gap and make it a one-possession game, 21-18, at 8:54.
BU took its largest lead of the half, 31-23, at 6:53 on two made free throws from Dini, but an 11-4 run by a resilient Stony Brook side to close out the stanza cut the deficit to one point and the Terriers escaped with a 35-34 edge at the break. Heading into the locker rooms at halftime, Dini led all scorers with 11 points on 3-for-6 shooting.
In the first 12 seconds of the second half, Stony Brook reclaimed the lead for the first time since the second minute of the contest with a traditional three-point play from Kirsten Jeter. The lead was short-lived as Umez-Eronini sank two free throws to tie the score at 37.
Burks-Wiley scored the Terriers next six points as BU held on to a slim 43-41 edge at 16:38. A 13-2 run that spanned five minutes extended the lead to nine, 50-41, and BU's defense held Stony Brook scoreless for over eight minutes.
The Seawolves closed the gap to two points, 59-57, on a 9-0 spurt led by Kirsten Jeter with three jumpers and a trey. The run came to a halt when Dini drained a three at 4:11, which also ended a four-minute scoring drought for the Terriers. BU hit 10 free throws in the final four minutes to take the conference opener by 13 points.
BU will host Vermont on Saturday (Jan. 10) at 1 p.m.
