Feb. 13, 2010

Final Stats | Video Highlights | Chambers & O'Brien Postgame Comments

BOSTON - Trailing by one with 5.6 seconds remaining, sophomore Jake O'Brien drained an open 3-pointer at the top of the key to lead the Boston University men's basketball team past Hartford, 58-55, on Saturday evening at Case Gymnasium. Hitting one-of-two free throws after forcing a turnover on the ensuing possession, the Terriers improve to 14-12 and 9-5 in America East play, while the Hawks drop to 7-18 (5-7 AE) despite having two men finish with double-doubles.

Named BU's America East player of the game, O'Brien posted a team-high 16 points along with a career-high 14 rebounds for his fifth career double-double. Junior John Holland tallied 10 of his 11 points in the second half, while senior Tyler Morris recorded nine points and dished out five assists.

As a team, BU shot a season-low 27.9 percent (19-for-68) from the field and even lost the rebound battle, 51-43. However, after hitting 56.9 percent of their attempts at the charity stripe against Vermont on Tuesday, the Terriers went 17-for-22 (.773). They are now 2-0 when shooting below 30 percent after defeating Indiana back in November by out-rebounding the Hoosiers, 52-32. In this contest, the difference in the statistics can be found in points off turnovers with BU having the edge, 15-3.

Hartford's AE player of the game Joel Barkers finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Joe Zeglinski had 10 points and 12 boards after putting the Hawks ahead for the final time with 1:28 left on the clock. UH shot 18-for-57 (.316) from the field and 17-for-24 (.708) at the line, while committing 15 turnovers against BU's nine.

Entering the contest ranked second in the nation for made 3-pointers per game at 3.5, Zeglinski opened the day with a trey to give UH its only lead of the first half, as Morris and Corey Lowe each hit a jumper and 3-point plays to put BU ahead, 10-5, with 14:25 remaining.

Carlos Strong's layup at 7:42 gave BU its largest lead of the game, 19-9, before the Hawks responded with an 8-2 run to enter the locker room only trailing 25-21.

Both teams shot poorly in the first half, hitting a combined 16-for-59 (.271), which included each squad going 1-for-10 from beyond the arc. They both averaged eight made 3-pointers per game entering the contest but could never get into a rhythm against one another, finishing with a total of five 3-pointers.

Leading 31-28 with 16:10 remaining, Lowe hit his second and final trey to move into fifth all-time in the America East record book past Maine's John Gordon ('00) with 292. Following a steal by Holland, Carlos Strong pushed the lead to eight with a layup, but then the Hawks went on an 8-0 run capped by Milton Burton's jumper at 11:58 to tie the game for the first time since the score was 5-5 in the first half.

Holland's layup with 9:27 put BU ahead 42-38, though the Hawks quickly erased the lead with four straight made free throws. The game then went back and forth with both squads answering each other's baskets.

UH's Charles White tied the game again at 50 apiece at 3:46, and the Terriers missed two open looks at 3-pointers, allowing Burton to hit a jumper at 2:30 to give the Hawks their first lead since Zeglinski open the game with a 3-pointer.

On the next possession, O'Brien hit a short jumper after being fed inside from Lowe to tie the game for the ninth and final time. Holland then stripped Andres Torres at 1:43 to draw the foul and hit both of his free throws.

With the chance to either tie the game or take the lead, Zeglinski found his defender fall to the ground and attempted the 3-point shot to put UH back ahead by one.

Holland missed his own attempt, but Zeglinski's jumper went off the rim and into the hands of O'Brien with 28 seconds remaining. BU called a time out and set up O'Brien for his late-game heroics.

Earning their fourth straight win over UH, the Terriers improve to 40-18 in the all-time series.

They will next host Binghamton on Wednesday (Feb. 17) at Agganis Arena as part of a basketball double header with the BU women first facing Stony Brook at 5:30 p.m. The men's tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.