Jan. 23, 2013

Box Score | Irving's Postgame Comments

Video Highlights

ALBANY, N.Y. - Junior D.J. Irving and freshman Maurice Watson Jr. combined for 41 points and sophomore Malik Thomas posted his first career double-double to help lead the Boston University men's basketball team to a thrilling come-from-behind 85-80 overtime victory at Albany.

Hitting all six field goal attempts in the extra session while going 7-of-8 at the charity stripe, the Terriers (10-10, 4-3 AE) improve to .500 for the first time this season, as the Great Danes (16-5, 5-2 AE) suffer just their second defeat at home.

Named America East Player of the Game, Irving hit back-to-back 3-pointers to send the game to overtime in the final nine seconds of regulation before finishing with 20 points. Watson was one of three other Terriers in double figures with a game-high 21 points and seven assists. Freshman John Papale added 18 points, including 11 in the extra session, and Thomas recorded 12 points along with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Albany featured five men in double figures with AE Player of the Game Mike Black tallying a team-high 20 points. Sam Rowley recorded 14 points and eight rebounds, while Peter Hooley contributed 12 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jayson Guerrier and Jacob Iati added 11 points apiece.

Leading by as many as eight in the second half, the Great Danes pulled ahead, 63-57, with 15 seconds left in regulation off two free throws from Black. Irving hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three with nine seconds remaining, prompting an immediate timeout from head coach Joe Jones. The Great Danes lost the ball on the inbounds pass, allowing Irving to hit another trey from the corner with 2.2 seconds remaining. Albany was only able to get a desperate heave off, as BU advanced to its second overtime of the season.

Hooley opened overtime with a layup to give Albany its final lead of the game before Morris quickly erased it with two made free throws. With the score tied 68-68 following treys from Hooley and Papale, Irving hit a jumper to move BU ahead for good.

Shooting 4-of-5 from behind the arc, Papale nailed two more 3-pointers to give the Terriers the 76-71 advantage with 1:43 left in the extra session. After John Puk's jumper, Irving drove to the basket for a layup and then forced a turnover from Hooley. He found Papale for the fastbreak layup and an 80-73 lead at the 44-second mark.

Watson and Irving went a combined 6-of-7 at the line to seal the win and give the Terriers their eighth straight victory over the Great Danes.

The teams went back-and-forth early in the game with Guerrier's trey giving Albany a 16-11 lead at 11:17. Ignited by three 3-pointers from Watson, the Terriers went on a 16-2 run over the following eight minutes with Watson's layup giving the Terriers their largest lead of the game, 27-18, at 3:32

BU entered the locker room leading, 29-23, by forcing 11 Albany turnovers and holding the Great Danes to 29.2 percent shooting despite being out-rebounded, 20-14. Albany though came out attacking in the second, opening with a 9-1 spurt.

With the score 36-36 at 14:41, the Great Danes scored eight straight points over the next three minutes. Held scoreless in the first half on 0-of-5 shooting, Irving hit 3-pointers at 10:41 and 7:21, respectively, to pull the Terriers within five. 

Trailing 56-49 with 2:05 left, Irving hit his third 3-pointer, but Iati came right back with a trey at 1:28 to maintain Albany's lead at seven. The Terriers maintained their composure though, as Papale hit a 3-pointer and Thomas added a layup following a Great Dane turnover to cut the deficit to 59-57 with 36 seconds left.

Sent to the free throw line, Black hit both attempts at the charity stripe and added two more with 15 seconds left after BU turned the ball over to grab a 63-57 advantage, leading to Irving's heroics.

The Terriers shot 30-of-63 (.476), including 14-of-31 (.452) from behind the arc, while the Great Danes went 28-of-60 (.467) and 8-fo-17 (.471), respectively. Albany won the battle at the boards, 40-29, and added 20 second-chance points off 15 offensive rebounds. 

After concluding a three-game road trip with two wins, BU will next return to Case Gym on Saturday (Jan. 26) against UMBC with action set to begin at 1 p.m.