Boston University
1-1
Norfolk State
1-2
Terriers Fight Off Spartans, 71-63
November 19, 2014 | Men's Basketball
NORFOLK, Va. - Trailing by two at the half, the Boston University men's basketball team opened the second with a 21-2 run and held off a late charge to claim a 71-63 victory at Norfolk State Wednesday night. The Terriers (1-1) featured four players in double figures to hand the Spartans (1-2) their first defeat at home.
Highlighted by a game-high five 3-pointers, junior John Papale led BU with 17 points, while sophomore Cedric Hankerson directed the offense with a career-high seven assists and 16 points, including 11 at the charity stripe. Junior Nathan Dieudonne posted his second career double-double (11 pts., 10 rebs.) and classmate Justin Alston (13 pts.) reached double figures for the second time in his career.
Fordham transfer Jeff Short tallied a career-high 28 points to lead the Spartans but went 3-of-10 from behind the arc and added four turnovers. BU alum and NSU graduate student Malik Thomas ('14) also had a career night with 19 points and 12 boards, but it was not enough as the other nine teammates combined for 16 points. As a team, NSU shot 38.5 percent, including 5-of-23 (.217) from behind the arc, while the Terriers went 21-of-42 (.500) and 9-of-21 (.429), respectively.
The Spartans jumped out to an early 8-2 lead but would never be ahead by more than five the rest of the half, as the first 20 minutes of action featured eight lead changes and six ties. After Papale tied the game at 29-29 with 2:09 left in the first stanza, Short drained two free throws and followed with a 3-pointer to give NSU the 34-29 advantage.
Hankerson and Alston combined for three made free throws in the final 70 seconds to pull the Terriers within two (34-32) at the halftime. The Spartans held the slight lead due to outscoring BU in points off turnovers, 14-3.
Short opened the second with a missed 3-point attempt, and Hankerson hit three of his next four free throws to give BU the lead for good. After LaTre'e Russell cut NSU's deficit to one (37-36) at 17:59, freshman Cheddi Mosely hit back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite a 16-0 run over the following five minutes. Alston had a SportsCenter signature moment at 13:26 when he made a quick pass to Papale, rolled around his defender, catch a short lob from Papale and then pull off a one-handed tomahawk slam while being fouled.
Last season in the first-ever meeting between the two schools, NSU trailed by eight with two minutes left in regulation before sending the game to overtime and earning an 86-82 victory. On Wednesday, with a 59-46 deficit at 9:19 following a Papale 3-pointer, the Spartans reeled off nine straight points. Thomas keyed the rally with treys at 8:06 and 6:31 to pull NSU within four (59-55).
On the ensuing possession, Hankerson got to the line and hit both shots at the charity stripe. After sophomore Eric Fanning's defensive rebound, he drained a 3-pointer and later added two more free throws to lead the 7-0 spurt and give the Terriers the 66-55 advantage with 4:31 remaining. BU clamped down on defense and limited NSU to six free throws and one field goal off four attempts to even the series at one game apiece.
After allowing 14 points off turnovers in the first half, BU allowed seven in the second while scoring 10 of its own. Hankerson contributed three steals, and Alston had two blocks. The Terriers outscored the Spartans in points in the paint, 22-14, and went 20-of-32 (.625) at the line, while NSU finished 18-of-26 (.692).
BU will remain on the road and next travel to the nation's top-ranked Kentucky on Friday with the Fox Sports South and ESPN3 broadcast set for 7 p.m. The Wildcats (3-0) mark the Terriers' first No. 1 ranked regular season opponent since the 2005 season opener at Duke and are coming off a dominating 72-40 victory over No. 5 Kansas.
