Boston University
2-2
South Florida
0-4
Terriers Run By Bulls, 78-66
November 21, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Box Score |
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TAMPA, Fla. - Featuring four Terriers in double-figure scoring and a minuscule six turnovers, the Boston University men's basketball team posted a 78-66 victory at South Florida on Saturday night as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. With their first win over the three-year-old American Athletic Conference, the Terriers improve to 2-2, while the Bulls drop to 0-4.
Trailing by as many as eight in the middle of the first half, BU took the lead for good off two free throws by senior Nathan Dieudonne with four seconds remaining to enter the locker room ahead, 34-32. The Terriers shot 57.1 percent in the second half to lead by as many as 13 and added eight free throws down the stretch to claim their first win over a major conference opponent since beating Maryland on the road in 2013.
Sophomore Cheddi Mosely led the Terriers with a game-high 21 points and three steals, while Dieudonne had 12 points, six rebounds and a career-high five assists. Senior John Papale drained five 3-pointers for the third straight game to tally 17 points along with four assists. Classmate Justin Alston was the other Terrier in double figures at 11 points, as BU finished 28-of-59 (47.5 FG%) from the field and 10-of-22 (45.5 3FG%) in 3-point territory.
The Bulls entered the contest having lost their first three games at home by a combined 14 points. They dominated in the paint early with an 11-2 advantage in rebounds but could not match BU's perimeter firepower with an 0-of-10 performance from behind the arc. Jaleel Cousins posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Roddy Peters had 16 points. Jahmal McMurray added 11 points off the bench in the loss.
Cousins' layup and free throw following the foul put the Bulls up, 18-10, with 11:36 left in the first half. Papale drained three treys over the next minutes to help pull the Terriers within one, 24-23, at 5:54. Following USF's timeout, Dieudonne swiped the ball from McMurray and set up Mosely for a 3-pointer and 26-24 advantage.
Both teams battled back and forth for the rest of the half with Bo Zeigler tying the game for the final time at the 39-second mark on a layup. Papale tried to add his fifth trey before the shot clock hit zero but hit the back rim. Dieudonne was in perfect position for the offensive rebound and was fouled going up for the putback.
The Terriers grabbed their first halftime lead by converting eight USF turnovers into 11 points and Papale hitting four 3-pointers. Papale opened the second half by feeding Dieudonne for the easy layup. USF used a layup and free throw from Chris Perry to cut the deficit to one at 18:54.
The Bulls would never get closer, as BU went on a 19-7 run over the next seven minutes capped by Alston's layup at 12:510. Alston scored the final seven BU points during that stretch.
USF made one final charge and cut the deficit to five (61-56) on two Cousins free throws, but Mosely came up big with a pair of field goals. His first one was a 3-pointer at 6:11, and his second long jumper came with 3:54 remaining in response to McMurray's layup.
Dieudonne followed with a defensive rebound and a tough turn-around jumper at the buzzer to extend the lead to 68-58 at 3:08. Both freshman Kyle Foreman and Papale drained a 3-pointer to keep the Bulls at a distance for the victory.
Evening the all-time series at 2-2 in their first visit to Tampa since winning the 1996 USF Christmas Tournament, the Terriers limited the Bulls to just four second-chance points in the second half despite being out-rebounded, 41-30. They also went 12-of-16 (.750) at the line, while USF finished 20-of-30 (.667).
The Terriers will next conclude the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at No. 2 Kentucky on Tuesday (Nov. 24) with the SEC Network broadcast set for 9 p.m. The Wildcats are expected to grab the top ranking before the matchup after UNC lost earlier Saturday.
