Nov. 25, 2011
Final Stats
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KINGSTON, R.I. - Earning the 26th most votes in the latest Associated Press poll, Cleveland State hit two free throws with 3.6 seconds remaining to edge the Boston University men's basketball team, 63-62, on Friday afternoon at Rhode Island's Ryan Center during day one of the TicketCity Legends Classic.
Senior Patrick Hazel led the Terriers (0-4) with a career-high 15 points along with eight rebounds and five blocks, while classmate Darryl Partin had a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore D.J. Irving was the third man in double figures at 13 points, shooting 11-of-12 at the charity stripe.
Opening the season with a win at then-No. 7 Vanderbilt, the Vikings rank 25th in the latest CBSSports.com's top-25 poll and improve to 5-0. Anton Grady recorded 14 points and nine rebounds, while D'Aundry Brown also finished with 14 points. Trevon Harmon contributed 11 points, including a deep 3-pointer with 5.6 seconds remaining, and Aaron Pogue tallied a game-high 11 rebounds to help CSU win the battle at the boards, 41-34.
Having not beaten a ranked team since 1959, the Terriers led, 62-61, after Harmon's trey and had the ball under the basket following a CSU timeout. BU put the ball inbounds and was fouled, but the clock had started too early. The refs blew the whistle just before the pass and told the Terriers to restart the play.
BU followed with a loose ball on the next inbounds pass that was deflected away and inadvertently fouled the Vikings during the scrum. Jeremy Montgomery hit both free throws, and the Vikings' defense forced Irving into a 3-point heave as the buzzer sounded for the one-point win.
Playing an aggressive, physical style on defense, CSU entered the contest forcing opponents into 23.5 turnovers a game, and BU had 12 in the first half. However, the Terriers did not back down under the constant pressure and went into the locker room at the half ahead, 24-21. They took advantage of the Vikings' foul troubles by hitting 10-of-14 at the line and also created 10 turnovers of their own.
CSU opened the second half on a quick 4-0 spurt to take a 25-24 lead and then tied the game at 28-28 off a 3-pointer by Trevon Harmon with 16:56 remaining. Partin responded with back-to-back treys.
BU would grab a 45-34 lead off a putback by sophomore Travis Robinson with 9:46 remaining. CSU had already committed seven fouls, but the Terriers were unable to extend the lead, shooting 3-of-9 at the charity stripe over the next five minutes. The Vikings took advantage and hit a 3-pointer to pull within two, 52-50, at 4:19.
After sophomore Dom Morris hit two free throws, CSU drained another trey to trail, 54-53, with 3:07 left. The teams battled back and forth, and Partin hit two free throws to put BU ahead, 61-58, at the 35-second mark.
On the next possession, CSU missed two shots, and Partin immediately got fouled while grabbing the rebound. He hit the second free throw, but the Vikings' Harmon nailed a 25-foot 3-pointer with a hand in his face to again cut the deficit to one with 5.6 seconds remaining.
The Terriers shot 40 percent from the field at 16-of-40 and went 28-of-44 (.636) at the line, while CSU went 22-of-65 (.338) and 12-of-13 (.923), respectively. Both teams had 26 points in the paint, and the Vikings had three fewer turnovers against the Terriers' 19 miscues.
BU will next face Rhode Island on Saturday (Nov. 26) at 5 p.m. in the first meeting between the two programs since 2006.
