Dec. 29, 2010
Box Score | Highlights
BOSTON - Despite a game-high 31 points from senior John Holland, the Boston University men's basketball team dropped an 82-81 decision against Quinnipiac on Wednesday evening at Case Gym.
Four lead changes occurred in the final 90 seconds and a tip-in by Quinnipiac's Dominique Langston with three seconds left in regulation proved to be the difference. A last-effort 30-foot shot by Holland rimmed out as the Terriers fell to 5-8 on the year.
Four Terriers scored in double figures, as junior Jake O'Brien recorded 18 points to become the 31st Terrier to reach the 1,000-point milestone. Freshman D.J. Irving and junior Darryl Partin added 14 and 10, respectively. Posting a team-high nine rebounds to earn America East Player of the Game honors, Holland now has 1,800 career points and is just 16 away from surpassing BU's No. 3 all-time scorer Corey Lowe ('10).
The Bobcats (9-2) also had four scorers in double figures and were paced by a 26-point performance by Justin Rutt, who added a game-high 10 rebounds to record a double-double. Lance Brown came off the bench to contribute 13 points and eight rebounds, while Langston and James Johnson had 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Entering the contest with the nation's top rebounding average at 45.2 rpg (+10.9 margin), Quinnipiac had a 46-42 advantage in rebounds with 16 offensive boards, two below its season average. The Bobcats went 30-of-69 (.435) and 18-of-28 (.643) at the charity stripe, while the Terriers shot 26-of-63 (.413) and 21-of-30 (.700) at the line.
Finishing with fewer than 10 turnovers for the third straight game, BU only lost the ball eight times, though did record six turnovers in the second half. Quinnipiac had just six total in an up-tempo contest that saw a combined 12 players record at least three personal fouls with six being one away from fouling out.
In a meeting between two preseason conference favorites, BU jumped out of the gate quickly with a 14-4 run started and ended by 3-pointers from Holland and freshman Dom Morris, respectively. Holland drained another at 8:48 to push the lead to 28-15 in the first half, though the Northeast Conference's Bobcats responded with a 11-0 run to cut the deficit to 28-26 with 5:46 remaining.
Both squads concluded the half with runs, as O'Brien's layup gave BU a 43-34 lead at 1:25. Rutty scored five straight points by hitting two free throws and then draining another after a made layup. Following a BU turnover, Dave Johnson hit a jumper to cut the deficit to 43-41 entering the locker room.
Rutty tied the game to start the second, and Deontay Twyman's two made free throws gave the Bobcats their first lead of the game at 49-47 with 15:34 left. James Johnson's 3-pointer extended it to 53-47 at 13:06, but Partin hit one of his own on the ensuing possession.
Trailing 61-58 with 9:01 remaining, Partin hit all three attempts at the line after being fouled while attempting a 3-pointer. O'Brien hit a trey to give BU a 69-64 lead at 6:44. James Johnson tied the contest at 70-70 off a jumper with 4:16 remaining and neither team led by more than two the rest of the game.
After a made Rutty layup, O'Brien hit his second 3-pointer of the game for the 79-78 lead at 1:28. BU got the defensive rebound, but James Johnson swiped a Terrier and drew the foul. He hit both free throws, leaving the Terriers with 37 seconds on the clock.
Irving drove to the basket following a timeout and missed a floater, but Morris was under the basket to put it back in for BU's final lead of the game, 81-80. Langston then tipped in Twyman's missed jumper, and Holland missed a 3-pointer for the loss.
Having now lost five games by a combined 10 points, the Terriers will quickly regroup and face in-state rival and fellow former Yankee Conference member Massachusetts at the Mullins Center on Friday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.
The contest will mark BU's fourth meeting against an Atlantic 10 squad this season and the final non-conference game before the start of league play.
