WORCESTER, Mass. – Led by freshman
Jonas Harper's season-high six 3-pointers and junior
Max Mahoney's seventh career double-double, the Boston University men's basketball team earned its first Patriot League sweep of the year with a 70-60 victory at Holy Cross Monday night on the CBS Sports Network.
Harper added two layups to post a game-high 22 points and was named Turnpike Trophy MVP for his efforts, as the Terriers (12-16, 5-10 PL) snapped a four-game losing streak. Coming off a 72-71 home win over PL leader Bucknell, the Crusaders (14-14, 5-10 PL) dropped to 8-4 at the Hart Center this season.
Mahoney tallied 11 points and 12 rebounds, while classmate
Tyler Scanlon recorded six points, six rebounds and a career-high eight assists. Featuring a season-high 14 3-pointers, BU's offense was most efficient from behind the arc at 14-of-27 3FG (.519) compared to 12-of-28 2FG (.428) and 4-of-10 FT (.400). Reigning PL Defensive Player of the Year Jehyve Floyd played a major role in disrupting the Terriers inside the arc with five blocks while adding 18 points and 12 rebounds.
TURNING POINT
- After Marlon Hargis cut Holy Cross' deficit to 41-36 at 15:09 on a contested jumper, freshman Garrett Pascoe hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 15-2 run capped by sophomore Sukhmail Mathon's slam dunk at 10:34.
- Floyd hit consecutive layups to pull within 14 (56-42), but Harper drained a 3-pointer on three straight Terrier possessions for a commanding 65-44 lead with 7:58 left in regulation.
- The Crusaders tried to mount a rally, holding BU scoreless for the next four minutes and pulling within nine (67-58) at 2:36 on Austin Butler's 3-pointer.
- Sophomore Javante McCoy responded with a pass to the cutting Harper for a layup, and BU kept its lead in double digits for the rest of the contest.
THE SETUP
- The first half featured nine lead changes and one tie with sophomore Andrew Petcash hitting his first of three 3-pointers in response to Butler's game-opening layup.
- After Patrick Benzan hit a 3-pointer to give Holy Cross a 12-11 advantage at 14:03, McCoy, Harper (2x) and Petcash combined for four 3-pointers to give the Terriers a 23-17 lead at 10:34, prompting a Holy Cross timeout.
- Keyed by two buckets from both Butler and Benzan, the Crusaders rallied to grab a 27-26 lead at 6:19, but freshman Fletcher Tynen hit two free throws on the next possession to put BU ahead for good.
- Scanlon hit a 3-pointer and Mahoney hit a layup before the buzzer to help the Terriers finish on a 11-2 run for the 37-29 halftime advantage.
- The Terriers were 8-of-15 in 3-point territory in the first 20 minutes of action after the Crusaders held PL leader Bucknell to 9-of-29 on Saturday.
GAME NOTES
- Harper became the fourth Terrier to reach 20 points this season, joining Mahoney, Scanlon and redshirt-freshman Alex Vilarino in hitting the mark.
- Harper's six 3-pointers were the most by a Terrier since Scanlon flushed six at Lehigh on Feb. 3, 2018.
- Scanlon's eight assists were the most by a Terrier since Kyle Foreman recorded 10 against UMass Lowell on Dec. 21, 2016.
- BU swept Holy Cross for the third time and is now 9-3 against the Crusaders since joining the PL in the summer of 2013.
- Butler was second for the Crusaders with 17 points and tied Vilarino for a game-high three steals.
- The Terriers outscored the Crusaders off the bench, 34-11, and won for the first time this season when being outscored in the paint (38-25).
- With the victory, BU moved to 12-2 in the all-sports Turnpike Trophy competition against HC with the next two points up for grabs at the PL Swimming & Diving Championship on Feb. 20-23.
NEXT UP: LOYOLA MARYLAND
- The Terriers return home to host the Greyhounds on Saturday (Feb. 23) at 4:30 p.m.
- The game is part of a BU basketball doubleheader, as the women will host Navy first at 2 p.m.
- Mahoney scored a career-high 31 points, but Loyola won the first meeting at home, 81-73, in overtime with reigning PL Player of the Week Andrew Kostecka posting 28 points and helping force 23 turnovers.
