Rutgers Staves Off Rally to Prevail in Defensive Battle against BU, 54-44

Friday, November 23

Piscataway, NJ

2 PM

Boston University

3-4

Rutgers

4-1

Boston U.

Rutgers

Photo by: Ben Solomon

Rutgers Staves Off Rally to Prevail in Defensive Battle against BU, 54-44

November 23, 2018 | Men's Basketball

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Seeking its first win over the Big Ten since 2009, the Boston University men's basketball team rallied from a 12-point deficit to pull within one in the middle of the second half but could never get over the hump in the hard-fought 54-44 loss at Rutgers on Friday afternoon.

The Scarlet Knights (4-1) were held to a season-low 32.1 FG% but still managed to prevail by limiting the Terriers (3-4) to 33.3 FG% and season-low three 3-pointers while posting a 13-5 advantage in made free throws. Rutgers only had two points off the bench, but it was not needed, as Eugene Omoruyi claimed a double-double off game-high 20 points and 17 rebounds and Geo Baker tallied 19 points. Junior Tyler Scanlon led the Terriers with 11 points and three assists.

THE FINAL STRETCH

Sophomore Javante McCoy's layup cut the deficit to 41-40 with 7:39 remaining in regulation, but the Terriers would never get closer due to finishing the game 1-of-9 from the field with four turnovers.
Even with the offensive struggles, the great defensive effort kept BU within striking distance, as Rutgers only managed two free throws and Shaquille Doorson's layup over the following four minutes for a 45-40 advantage.
Scanlon responded to Doorson's basket by feeding classmate Max Mahoney for the layup and 45-42 deficit with 2:48 remaining in regulation.
After both teams failed to score on the next two possessions, Issa Thiam hit a floater and added the free throw at 1:54 to help Rutgers create enough distance.

THE SETUP

Rutgers opened the game on a 12-4 run with both Baker and Omoryui hitting a 3-pointer in the first four minutes of the contest.
Freshman Jordan Guest drained BU's first trey at 14:15, and sophomore Andrew Petcash cut the deficit to 14-11 at 10:18 on a long jumper.
Thiam flushed a 3-pointer to ignite a 13-2 run capped by Omoryui's layup at 3:21.
Rutgers entered the locker room leading, 29-19, after posting a 33-4 first-half advantage against Eastern Michigan on Monday.
BU's offense came out attacking in the second with 12 points in the first five minutes, started by Mahoney's layup on the opening possession.
Trailing, 33-24, with 16:34 remaining, the Terriers scored seven straight with sophomore Sukhmail Mathon hitting a layup and Scanlon following up on his own layup with a 3-pointer to prompt Rutgers to call timeout.
The Terriers had eight different possessions over the next 10 minutes to either take the lead or tie the game but could not find the breakthrough bucket.
Freshman Fletcher Tynen hit BU's third and final 3-pointer of the game at 9:41 to cut the deficit to 39-38.

GAME NOTES

BU held a major conference opponent under 60 points for the first time since host UConn edged the Terriers, 51-49, on Nov. 30, 2016.
McCoy led BU in rebounding for the second consecutive contest, as he tallied six points, six rebounds and three assists.
Rutgers improved to 14-5 all-time against the Terriers, as the teams met for just the second time since 1971-72.

NEXT UP: NEW HAMPSHIRE

The Terriers will make the first of two treks to the Granite State this season when they visit longtime regional rival New Hampshire on Wednesday (Nov. 28) at 7 p.m.
Last season in a 70-69 road thriller, BU improved to 99-38 all-time against the Wildcats in a series dating back to 1908-09.