Bethune-Cookman Pulls Away Late to Defeat Men's Basketball, 74-66

Friday, December 21

Boston, MA

7 PM

Boston University

7-6

Bethune-Cookman

5-9

Bethune-Cookman

Boston University

Photo by: Rich Gagnon

Bethune-Cookman Pulls Away Late to Defeat Men's Basketball, 74-66

December 21, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Highlights Coach Jones Postgame

BOSTON – Despite junior Max Mahoney earning his second double-double of the season, the Boston University men's basketball team fell in the non-conference finale to MEAC preseason favorite Bethune-Cookman, 74-66, on Friday night at Case Gym.

In the second-ever meeting, the Wildcats (5-9) shot 56.0 percent from the field in the second half and held the Terriers (7-6) to 39.5 percent to avenge last season's 90-87 home loss. Mahoney and junior Tyler Scanlon combined for 31 points and 21 rebounds, but BCU had four players finish in double figures to offset the juniors' production.

TURNING POINT

Trailing by as many as 14 points (55-41) with 11:41 remaining, the Terriers went on a 13-0 run capped by freshman Jack Hemphill's 3-pointer at 6:37.
The teams went back and forth over the next four minutes, and Mahoney converted on his offensive rebound with a layup to put the deficit at 63-60.
The Wildcats responded with a 7-0 spurt finished by Dondre Duffus' layup and free throw at 49 seconds to pull away for the victory.
During the game-changing stretch, the Terriers missed three field goal attempts and a free throw while also committing two turnovers.

THE SETUP

The Terriers scored the game's first five points on redshirt-freshman Alex Vilarino's buzzer-beating jumper and freshman Jordan Guest's 3-pointer at 17:40 for their largest lead of the game.
Freshman Garrett Pascoe flushed a 3-pointer at 14:25 (9-5), and classmate Jonas Harper added another at 10:52 for a 14-11 advantage.
Mahoney gave BU its final lead at 8:49 (16-15) by converting on Scanlon's long pass with a fastbreak layup.
Armani Collins followed up with his lone 3-pointer to give BCU its first multi-point advantage.
With the score tied, 23-23, at 4:23 on freshman Jack Hemphill's tip-in, Mark Gordon and Wali Parks hit back-to-back bombs.
Malik Maitland added two free throws at 3:22 for the 31-23 lead, but the Terriers finished the half on a 6-0 spurt with Mahoney hitting a buzzer-beating jumper after BU missed a 1-and-1 to put the halftime deficit at 31-29.
After BCU's Dondre Duffus opened the second half on a 3-pointer, Mahoney scored on another offensive rebound and Guest drained his second trey at 18:44 to tie the game for the fourth time, 34-34.
The Wildcats scored the game's next 10 points over the next two minutes and extended the lead to 52-39 at 13:13 on back-to-back 3-pointers from Shawntrez Davis.
Owning a 55-41 advantage with 11:41 remaining on Duffus' layup, the Wildcats missed their next eight field goal attempts over the following six minutes before Houston Smith scored on a tip-in at 5:44 for the 58-55 lead.

GAME NOTES

Named the Patriot League Player of the Week on Monday, Mahoney went 8-of-13 from the field en route to 17 points and added a career-high 13 rebounds for his third-career double-double.
Scanlon was two boards shy of a double-double with 14 points and four assists.
Sophomore Javante McCoy added a career-high nine rebounds, as the Terriers out-rebounded BCU, 44-26.
Maitland and Duffus had 14 points and two steals apiece with Maitland adding five assists, while Smith and Davis contributed 13 points apiece.
The Terriers went 8-of-30 (.267) from behind the arc, while the Wildcats went 8-of-12 (.667).
BCU outscored BU from the charity stripe, 20-4, and also off turnovers, 18-6.

NEXT UP: AMERICAN

The Terriers will open conference play at American on Wednesday, Jan. 2, with a 7 p.m. start time.
The Eagles won the last matchup at Bender Arena, 60-56, back in February.