Boston University (2-2) at The Jacksonville Classic by Fabletics
Game 1 Date & Time: Sunday, Nov. 20, 12 p.m. vs. Northern Illinois (0-3)
Game 2 Date & Time: Monday, Nov. 21, 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. vs. Little Rock (3-1) or Sam Houston State (1-2)
Venue: UNF Arena | Jacksonville, Fla.
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMBB

BOSTON – After competing in four straight home openers, the Boston University men's basketball team will fly south to Florida to open The Jacksonville Classic by Fabletics against Northern Illinois on Sunday with tip-off slated for 12 p.m. 

The two programs are joined in the Jax Bracket by both Sam Houston State and Little Rock with North Florida serving as host. Sunday's losers will meet in the consolation bracket game on Monday at 11 a.m. before the winners face off at 1:30 p.m. Fans will be able to watch all the action at PassThaBallLive.com and listen to both Doug Brown and Brian Maurer at GoTerriers.com/tsrn. 

TERRIER TIDBITS

• BU is coming off Thursday's 75-70 win at defending America East champion Hartford in which senior Walter Whyte became the first Terrier to eclipse 20 points this season with 21 total.
• Currently second on the team at 14.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg, Whyte is just 34 points away from becoming the 40th Terrier to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
• Graduate student Javante McCoy leads BU at 16.0 ppg, while classmate Sukhmail Mathon (9.8 ppg) leads the defensive efforts at 9.3 rpg with three blocks.
• Sophomore Anthony Morales joined the three aforementioned men in reaching double figures at least once this year with 18 points against the Hawks by shooting 7-of-9 with four made 3-pointers.
• Through four games, BU is averaging 67.5 ppg and 43.9 FG% while holding opponents to 62.8 ppg and 43.3 FG%.
• BU is competing in a multi-team tournament for the first time since going 1-3 in the 2019 Cancun Challenge. The Terriers recorded a road split with a win at South Carolina and loss at West Virginia before dropping two games in the Mayan Division bracket in Cancun to Northern Colorado and Tennessee Martin. 
• The Terriers took their first team flight together since claiming a 77-54 win at Navy on Feb. 15, 2020 due to the Patriot League creating divisions last season to limit travel.

SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS

• A member of the Mid-American Conference, Northern Illinois is 1-2 with an impressive 71-64 win at Washington and road losses to both Indiana (85-49) and Missouri (54-37). 
• Trendon Hankerson leads NIU at 13.0 ppg and 2.0 spg with Keshawn Williams second at 11.3 ppg. Anthony Crump leads the rebounding efforts at 5.7 rpg with 6.3 ppg.
• NIU went 3-16 this past season with a 2-12 conference mark after going 18-13 (11-7 MAC) in 2019-20.
• The Huskies won the only other meeting with the Terriers in the 1999 season opener at a tournament hosted by Florida International, 78-65.

SCOUTING LITTLE ROCK

• A member of the Sun Belt Conference, the Trojans (3-1) started the season with three wins at home against Southern Illinois (69-66), Champion Christian (115-51) and Arkansas Baptist (91-60) before dropping an 82-63 decision at Loyola Marymount.
• Four Trojans are averaging double figures in points with Isaiah Palermo averaging a team-high 17.7 ppg and impressive 79.2 FG% on 19-of-24 FG shooting. Nikola Maric is averaging a team-high 7.0 rpg with 11.5 ppg.
• The Trojans went 11-15 last season with a 7-11 conference mark after winning the 2020 Sun Belt regular season title at 21-10 (15-5 SBC) and seeing the 2020 conference tournament canceled.
• BU has never faced Little Rock or played a school located in Arkansas.

SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON STATE

• Spending this season in the Western Athletic Conference after leaving the Southland over the summer with a move to Conference USA looming, the Bearkats are currently 1-2 with a 97-54 win over Letourneau, 74-65 loss at Nebraska and 77-55 defeat to Missouri State.
• Texas A&M transfer Savion Flagg is averaging 21.0 ppg and 8.0 ppg. Demarkus Lampley is second in scoring at 11.3 ppg, while Tristan Ikpe averages a team-high 9.0 rpg with 5.7 ppg.
• Sam Houston went 19-9 this past season with a 13-3 record in the Southland after going 18-13 (11-9 SLC) a year prior and 21-12 (16-2 SLC) in 2018-19.
• BU has never faced the Bearkats.

UP NEXT

• After playing in the two Jax Bracket games, the Terriers will head to Florida State for the final Jacksonville Classic game with the ACC Network broadcast slated for 7 p.m on Wednesday (Nov. 24).
• BU will be facing the Seminoles for the first time since claiming an 84-69 win in a tournament hosted by Arizona in 2002.