Dec. 29, 2012

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. - Featuring four Terriers in double figures, the Boston University men's basketball team shot 56.3 percent from the field while holding Howard below 25 percent to earn a 71-44 victory in the consolation of the UCF Holiday Tournament.

Holding their third opponent of the year under 50 points, BU (6-7) will enter the America East schedule with six non-conference wins for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

Named to the All-Tournament team, junior Dom Morris led the Terriers with 17 points and eight rebounds, while classmate D.J. Irving recorded 14 points. Freshman Maurice Watson Jr. and sophomore Malik Thomas had 11 points apiece. Playing a season-high 11 minutes, freshman Justin Alston helped the defensive effort with a season-high three blocks.

Calvin Thompson led the Bison (3-12) with 19 points, while Mike Phillips recorded 10 points. Theodore Boyomo had a game-high nine rebounds, but the Terriers still won the battle at the boards, 42-38.

BU scored the game's first nine points and never looked back, as the Terriers won their first-ever meeting with Howard. They shot 60 percent from the field in the first half to grab a 40-21 lead entering the locker room.

The Bison cut the deficit to 17 (45-29) with 11:18 remaining, but BU responded with a 7-0 spurt capped by freshman John Papale's third and final 3-pointer of the game. The Terriers led by as many as 29 in their third double-digit victory of the season.

Four Terriers finished with at least three assists to help BU record 15 assists against 12 turnovers. Howard only had six miscues but could not convert on the offensive end against the Terriers' swarming defense.

The Bison shot 16-of-66 (.242) and only tallied 12 points in the paint. The Terriers finished the game 27-of-48 (.563), marking the first time since 2009-10 season that BU shot above 55 percent.

BU will remain on the road and next visit America East foe Maine on Wednesday (Jan. 2) with action set to begin at 7 p.m.