Box Score | Highlights | Fanning's Postgame Comments

BOSTON - Highlighted by a pair of double-doubles and a season-high 29 assists, the Boston University men's basketball team ended the non-conference slate with an 86-53 win over Kean on Monday afternoon at Case Gym.

Holding their fifth straight opponent below 40 percent shooting, the Terriers improve to 7-6, while the Cougars fall to 1-9 after competing in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Sophomore Eric Johnson had a career day, first draining a 3-pointer for BU's first basket to extend the Terriers' streak of hitting a trey to 600 straight games (dates back to Feb. 17, 1996). He finished with a career-high 10 assists while adding a career-tying 11 points for his first-career double-double. Classmate Nick Havener earned his second with a career-tying 18 points and 11 rebounds to help BU post two double-doubles in a game for the first time since Feb. 26, 2009.

Besides shooting 52.4 percent from the field, the Terriers dominated in points in the paint, 40-18, and also finished ahead in rebounds, 45-22. Senior Nathan Dieudonne was one rebound shy of a double-double with 12 points , while junior Eric Fanning had 11 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Freshman Brandon Johnson hit three of BU's 12 3-pointers en route to a personal-best 11 points.

Kean jumped out to an early 8-3 lead with the help of two of its six 3-pointers but could not keep up the pace, as the Cougars finished 17-of-51 (.333) and 6-of-20 (.300) from behind the arc. Tommy Soulias led all players with 19 points while adding a team-high six rebounds. Micah Kerr was the other to reach double figures with 11 points.

BU entered the contest with only nine of its 16 players dressed and went with its seventh different starting lineup of the season. The Terriers started the game slowly with Soulias tying the game, 11-11, for Kean off a 3-pointer at 13:15.

Havener hit back-to-back layups to ignite a 22-5 run capped by his two free throws nine minutes later. He then added two more bucknets in the final 93 seconds to post a game-high 10 points at the half, as BU entered the locker room leading, 39-18.

Leading BU scorer John Papale (13.7 ppg) led the Patriot League in minutes played at 36.6 mpg but was able to rest in the second half with just four minutes and 19 total. Kean was never able to cut the deficit below 20, and freshman Kamali Chambers pushed the lead above the 30-point threshold with a 3-pointer late in the contest.  

The Terriers will next start the Patriot League schedule on Wednesday (Dec. 30) at 7 p.m. at Holy Cross in the first-ever Turnpike Trophy matchup between the two programs. BU already owns an early 5-0 lead in the all-sports competition with wins in field hockey, m/w soccer and m/w cross country.