Jan. 5, 2014
Box Score | Irving's postgame comments
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - After Lehigh grabbed a one-point lead, senior D.J. Irving drew a foul and coolly hit two free throws with 1.9 seconds left to give the Boston University men's basketball team a thrilling 67-66 victory at Stabler Arena Sunday afternoon on the CBS Sports Network. Earning their second one-point win of the season following sophomore Nathan Dieudonne's made free throw against Saint Peter's in November, the Terriers improve to 9-6, while the Mountain Hawks (8-7, 1-1 PL) suffer their first home loss of the year.
The contest went back and forth throughout, featuring 14 lead changes and six ties. Senior Dom Morris was one of four Terriers in double figures with 15 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Maurice Watson Jr. posted his second double-double of the season with 12 assists and 10 points, while both Irving and sophomore John Papale tallied 14 points apiece. Dieudonne hauled in nine boards to help BU out-rebound Lehigh, 38-31.
Mackey McKnight drained three early 3-pointers and hit the go-ahead layup plus free throw with 7.9 seconds remaining to finish with a game-high 23 points for the Mountain Hawks, who were riding an eight-game win streak at home dating back to last season. Jesse Chuku and Corey Schaefer added 11 points apiece. Lehigh's leading scorer and rebounder, 6-foot-9 Tim Kempton (14.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg), was unable to get into any rhythm against the Terriers and finished with just four points and one rebound on 2-of-8 shooting.
In the first meeting between the two programs since 1968, the Mountain Hawks only committed seven turnovers and became the first opponent this season to blank the Terriers from scoring a single point off a miscue. BU did not need the extra help though, shooting 28-of-61 (.459) from the field, and posting 20 assists against just 10 turnovers.
Lehigh grabbed its largest lead of the game, 19-14, with 11:13 remaining in the first half on a trey from Austin Price. Morris then ignited with a layup a 14-2 BU run capped by Irving's 3-pointer at 6:09. The Mountain Hawks chipped away at the seven-point deficit and trailed, 34-33, entering the locker room.
Chuku opened the second half with a quick score to give Lehigh the lead back, but Papale responded with a 3-pointer for the 37-35 advantage. Following Papale's fourth trey, Morris hit a 10-foot jumper to push BU ahead, 50-41, at 13:22.
Trailing 64-56 with 2:17 remaining, Lehigh mounted a 10-1 rally with McKnight scoring eight points. The 6-foot-0 guard drained a long rainbow 3-pointer at 1:29 and drove straight to the basket with 42 seconds left to cut the deficit to one (64-63).
After BU hit one free throw with 33 seconds remaining, McKnight made a return trip to the hoop and hit the layup while being fouled. He then drained the free throw, setting up Irving's late-game heroics.
Irving brought the ball up the court on the right side and started flying to the hoop when he was fouled at the 3-point line. The Mountain Hawks only had nine fouls, leaving Irving with a 1-and-1. Previously draining a game-winning trey at Quinnipiac with 2.5 seconds left, the Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year did not flinch under pressure and nailed both attempts.
Finishing 28-of-61 (.459), Lehigh got off a desperate heave near mid-court before the buzzer but was well off the mark, as BU improved to 4-0 in contests decided by three points or less after going 0-5 last season.
The Terriers will next return to Agganis Arena and host Navy on Tuesday (Jan. 7) at 7 p.m. They own a 2-0 advantage in the series, highlighted by a 62-55 win in the Sweet 16 of the 1959 NCAA tournament.
