Dec. 31, 2011
Box Score
HAMDEN, Conn. - Playing in its final non-conference game before the start of the America East schedule, the Boston University men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 59-53 decision at Quinnipiac on Saturday afternoon. Despite holding the Bobcats (8-5) 12 points below their season average, the Terriers drop to 4-10.
Senior Darryl Partin led BU with a game-high 19 points, a career-high nine rebounds and three steals. Starting his third straight game for sophomore D.J. Irving, senior Matt Griffin tallied 11 points and four assists, while Jeff Pelage posted five points and seven rebounds in his first start of the season.
On the defensive end, the Terriers neutralized sophomore forward Ike Azotam, who entered the contest averaging 16.6 ppg and 11.2 rpg but finished with just four points and six rebounds. A 6-foot-9 forward, freshman Ousmane Drame stepped up though with 10 points, 14 boards and six blocks. Leading scorer James Johnson (17.3 ppg) shot 4-of-14 but still ended up with 16 points and five assists after making all six free throw attempts.
Trailing 42-38 with 7:51 remaining, the Bobcats went on a 9-0 run over the following five minutes and made enough free throw attempts down the stretch to pull out the victory. Quinnipiac had its second lowest shooting percentage of the season at 32.1 but overcame it by holding the Terriers to 25.9 percent in the second half.
BU shot 44.4 percent in the first half and created eight turnovers to grab a 32-19 lead at the half. Partin opened the game with a jumper, and Griffin followed with his first of three 3-pointers to give the Terriers an early 5-0 advantage.
After Garvey Young tied the game at 7-7 with 13:15 left in the first half, senior Patrick Hazel scored six straight points to cap an 8-0 spurt for BU. Johnson brought Quinnipiac back within two (15-13) at 8:20 on a 3-pointer, but Griffin responded with a trey of his own to ignite a 15-4 run.
The Bobcats quickly made the 13-point halftime deficit manageable by draining three 3-pointers in the opening minutes of the second half. Azotam finished a 11-2 run with a slam dunk at 16:30 to pull within four (34-30).
Partin's layup pushed BU's lead back to eight (38-30) with 14:47 remaining, but the Terriers were unable to pull away, as the next eight minutes saw a combined five made baskets by the two squads.
Morris' tough layup for the 42-38 lead at 7:51 would be the Terriers' last made field goal until the 32-second mark. Nate Gause hit a 3-pointer at 6:40, and then the Bobcats took the lead for good behind six made free throws over the next four minutes.
The Terriers cut the deficit to two (55-53) off a 3-pointer by sophomore Mike Terry Jr. with 12 seconds left on the clock, but while trying to send Quinnipiac to the line, BU was called with a flagrant foul. The Bobcats made their final four free throw attempts to seal the win.
Featuring the No. 2 rebounding team in the nation at 44.8 rpg and +12.3 margin, Quinnipiac finished with 43 boards, but the Terriers' gritty effort led to 38 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive end.
BU will conclude a three-game road trip on Thursday (Jan. 5) at Vermont to open the new year and the America East schedule.
