Jan. 4, 2012
Box Score
BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Boston University women's basketball team held off a second-half rally by Vermont as the Terriers recorded a 61-60 victory in their first America East game of the season Wednesday night at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, Vt. With the win, BU improves to 8-6 (1-0 AE).
The Terriers had three players in double-digits with junior Mo Moran leading the way with 19 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Classmate Chantell Alford added 13 points and three rebounds.
Sophomore Rashidat Agboola was BU's America East Player of the Game as she recorded her third double-double of the season, collecting a career-high 17 rebounds to go with 12 points. It was her third straight game with double-digit rebounds.
BU held a 37-21 lead at the half but the Catamounts out-scored the Terriers, 39-24, in the second period in their comeback attempt. The Terriers never trailed in the game but allowed Vermont to tie the score on three occasions in the second half.
Alford opened the game with a jumper on BU's first possession and UVM responded with a basket from Lauren Buschmann. The Terriers took a 6-4 lead into the first timeout at 15:53 before using a 20-2 run over the next eight minutes to take a 26-7 lead with 8:10 remaining in the first half.
Vermont used a 5-0 run in attempt to cut the deficit but two free throws and a layup from Agboola halted the Catamounts' momentum. The Terriers closed out the half with jumpers from Alford and Young along with a pair of free throws from Moran to hold a 37-31 advantage as the teams headed to halftime.
The Catamounts brought the deficit down to single digits, 42-33, at the 16:42 mark with a three-pointer from Sam Simononis. A layup from Moran pushed BU's lead back to double-digits before a 12-2 run by the Catamounts brought UVM within one, 46-45, with less than 10 minutes to play.
After Agboola sunk a shot from beyond the charity stripe, a Buschmann layup tied the game at 47-47. BU regained the lead with a pair of free throws from Agboola and stretched the margin out to six points, 57-51, with two free throws from Alford and a three from Kristen Sims. Niki Taylor then rattled off three points for the Catamounts followed by a three from teammate Shanai Heber to again bring UVM within one, 57-56, with 3:54 to play.
Stewart gave the Terriers a two-point cushion with a shot from the line but two Catamount free throws tied the game at 58-58 with 1:34 left on the clock. Alford sunk a shot from the wing to put BU ahead for good, as two free throws were all the Catamounts could muster in the final minute as BU went on to win, 61-60.
BU ended the game with a 34.0 field goal percentage (18-of-53) while UVM shot 31.9 percent (22-of-69). The Catamounts collected 51 rebounds while the Terriers tallied 41 rebounds. BU (11) committed more turnovers than UVM (10), but the Terriers turned the Catamounts' miscues into 16 points.
BU returns to Case Gym on Sunday, Jan. 8, to host Binghamton. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
