Terriers Capture Jax Bracket Championship with 72-59 Win over Sam Houston State

Monday, November 22

Jacksonville, FL

1:30 PM

Boston University

4-2,0-0Patriot

Sam Houston State

2-3,0-0WAC

Boston U.

Sam Houston

Terriers Capture Jax Bracket Championship with 72-59 Win over Sam Houston State

November 22, 2021 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Coach Jones Postgame Tournament Website

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Boosted by 12 3-pointers and a strong rebounding effort, the Boston University men's basketball captured the Jax Bracket championship with a 72-59 wire-to-wire victory over Sam Houston State on Monday afternoon at UNF Arena in The Jacksonville Classic by Fabletics.

Claiming a regular season trophy outside Massachusetts for the first time in 25 years since winning a 1996 tournament hosted by South Florida, the Terriers improve to 4-2, while the Bearkats drop to 2-3. Graduate student Javante McCoy was named the bracket's MVP after tallying a team-high 14 points and three assists following his 18-point, seven-assist performance in Sunday's tournament-opening win over Northern Illinois (76-58).

Senior Jonas Harper matched McCoy's 3-point shooting with an identical 4-of-6 game en route to 12 points, while classmate Fletcher Tynen recorded 11 points, five rebounds and three assists. Graduate student Sukhmail Mathon was one point shy of a double-double with 11 points, while sophomore Miles Brewster produced a personal-best eight points off the bench behind two 3-pointers.

It was a strong offensive performance for BU, who finished the game shooting 24-of-48 FG (.500), 12-of-20 3FG (.600) and 12-of-17 FT (.706), while the Bearkats went 25-of-62 FG (.403), 6-of-23 3FG (.261) and 3-of-6 FT (.500). Texas A&M transfer Savion Flagg led the Bearkats with 15 points, while Tristan Ikpe recorded 10 points and six rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

McCoy flushed a 3-pointer to spark a game-opening 11-2 run capped by junior Nevin Zink's driving layup at 13:15.
Brewster converted on a fastbreak opportunity with a layup for his own to extend the lead to 18-5 at 8:49.
Zink's two free throws put the Terriers ahead, 23-8, with 7:11 left in the half.
The Bearkats chipped away and eventually cut the deficit to five (25-20) on Kuba Karwowski's layup set up by Ikpe's offensive rebound.
Brewster responded with a 3-pointer, and sophomore Anthony Morales added a layup to enter the locker room leading, 30-20.
Facing a 41-29 deficit with 15:47 remaining in regulation, Flagg hit a jumper to ignite an 8-0 spurt capped by Ray's steal and fast break layup at 11:48.
Junior Ethan Brittain-Watts responded with three straight free throws, but Flagg came right back with a 3-pointer.
BU created distance on an 8-0 run of its own with McCoy flushing back-to-back treys for a 52-40 lead at 9:53.
The Bearkats tried to mount a rally and pulled within eight, 67-59, at 1:51 on Ikpe's steal and slam dunk, but Tynen put the game away with a layup and bonus free throw on BU's next possession.

GAME NOTES

Tynen posted 10+ points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
BU was without senior Walter Whyte due to injury, and junior Nevin Zink had to be helped off the court after starting his first game as a Terrier and tallying seven points in 15 minutes of action.
The Terriers won their first-ever meeting with the Bearkats and defeated a Western Athletic Conference (WAC) opponent for the first time since a 2010 win over Nevada.
SHSU outscored BU off turnovers (17-10) and in the paint (34-24), but BU doubled the Bearkats in made 3-pointers (12-6) and posted a 39-25 advantage in rebounds.

UP NEXT

The Terriers will conclude their participation in the Jacksonville Classic with a visit to Florida State on Wednesday (Nov. 24) with the ACC Network broadcast slated for 7 p.m.
BU won the first-ever meeting between the two programs back in 2002 with a 84-69 victory in the opening round of a tournament hosted by Arizona.