Goff's Long-Range Shooting Helps BU Overcome Slow Start En Route to 78-69 Win at Maine

Wednesday, November 22

Bangor, ME

2 PM

Boston University

1-3

Maine

0-5

BOSTONU

Maine

Will Goff is getting ready to make a pass at UConn.

Photo by: Geoffrey Bolte

Goff's Long-Range Shooting Helps BU Overcome Slow Start En Route to 78-69 Win at Maine

November 22, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Coach Jones Postgame

BANGOR, Maine – Boosted from four first-half 3-pointers by senior Will Goff, the Boston University men's basketball team overcame a slow start to claim a 78-69 win at Maine on Wednesday afternoon.

Goff was one of four Terriers (1-3) to reach double figures with a team-high 13 points alongside sophomore Tyler Scanlon, as BU withstood 20 turnovers by shooting 47.3 percent from the field and holding the Black Bears to 38.3 percent.

TURNING POINT

Facing a 26-22 deficit with 5:18 left in the half, Goff drained his final 3-pointer to spark a 19-2 run that featured back-to-back bombs from Scanlon and was capped by senior Nick Havener's jumper seconds before the buzzer.
BU shot 64.0 percent in the first half to grab a 41-28 halftime lead and extended it to as high as 16 (46-30) with 17:30 remaining on freshman Walter Whyte's layup.

BLACK BEAR RALLY

After senior Eric Johnson went 1-of-2 at the line to give BU a 71-56 lead with 2:10 left in regulation, Maine reeled off 10 straight points in 74 seconds with the help of two 3-pointers and a pressing defense.
BU went a combined 0-of-4 from the field and the charity stripe while committing two turnovers during the stretch to see its lead cut to 71-66 with 56 seconds remaining following Dennis Ashley's trey.
After the two teams exchanged a free throw, senior Cedric Hankerson broke the press by finding Havener for a slam dunk and then earned his second steal of the game to help seal the victory, as he hit a pair of attempts at the charity stripe with 15 seconds left.

THE SETUP

The Black Bears came out of the gate pressuring the Terriers into four turnovers within the first four minutes of the game to jump out to a 9-2 lead, as Aaron Calixte scored from behind the arc and then shortly later completed a 3-point play.
Goff settled the Terriers down by flushing two bombs, and Hankerson added one of his own to pull BU within one, 12-11, at 13:48.
The teams went back and fourth over the following four minutes with Goff giving BU its first lead of the game at 9:20 on his third trey.
Trae Bryant returned the favor to spark a 7-2 spurt to pull ahead, 26-22, at 5:37 on Calixte's layup before the Terriers retook the lead for good.

GAME NOTES

With the win, the Terriers snapped an eight-game losing streak on the road to non-conference opponents ... The previous victory was at Quinnipiac (64-57) on Dec. 13, 2015.
BU also improved to 61-41 all-time against the Black Bears in a series dating back to 1902-03 with head coach Joe Jones now owning a 5-1 mark.
Goff was one point shy of his career high set last season against Western New England, as he hit four 3-pointers for the third time in his career on five attempts.
Whyte tallied a season-high 10 points to join Goff in helping increase BU's total of individuals to reach double figures this season to nine players through four contests.
Scanlon dished out a career-high four assists to become the first Terrier other than McCoy to lead BU in helpers this season while contributing 13 points.
Hankerson recorded nine points, two 3-pointers and two steals to move up to fifth all-time at BU in made 3-pointers (197), tied-for-eighth in steals (145) and tied-for-31st in points (1,024).
Havener posted a game-high 10 rebounds and was two points shy of his second consecutive double-double.
BU's free throw shooting woes continued with a 15-of-28 (.536) performance, as senior Eric Johnson went 7-of-9 to post a season-high nine points along with five rebounds and two assists.
Despite doubling its turnover average to 20 total miscues, the Terriers outscored Maine (19 TOs) in points off turnovers, 26-13.
Calixte led Maine with 22 points and eight rebounds but hurt the Black Bears with nine turnovers, while Andrew Fleming owned 14 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double.

NEXT UP: WHEATON COLLEGE

BU will return home following the Thanksgiving break and host Wheaton College for the first time ever on Sunday (Nov. 26) at 4 p.m.
The contest will be part of a Terrier basketball doubleheader, as the women will host Boston College starting at 1 p.m.
Wheaton is a member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).