Javante McCoy attempts a 3-point shot from the BU logo against Merrimack with under five seconds left on the clock. The shot went in for a 61-60 win against Merrimack.
Robert Branning
60
Merrimack Merri 4-4,0-0 NEC
61
Winner Boston U. BU 5-3,0-0 Patriot
Merrimack Merri
4-4,0-0 NEC
60
Final
61
Boston U. BU
5-3,0-0 Patriot
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Merrimack Merri 37 23 60
Boston U. BU 30 31 61

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

McCoy Sinks Late 3-Pointer in 61-60 Thriller over Merrimack

BOSTON – Down by two with 2.9 seconds remaining in regulation, Boston University men's basketball graduate student Javante McCoy flushed a 28-footer to claim a thrilling 61-60 come-from-behind victory over Merrimack on Sunday afternoon at Case Gym.

Bouncing back from Wednesday's heart-breaking one-point overtime loss at ACC power Florida State, the Terriers improve to 5-3, while the Warriors drop to 4-4. Overall, it was BU's third one-point decision in the last six contests. 

McCoy went 4-for-5 from behind the arc en route to a game-high 20 points, while classmate Sukhmail Mathon posted 17 points, six rebounds and personal-best five assists. Senior Fletcher Tynen was the third Terrier in double figures at 12 points, as BU finished 18-of-42 (.429) from the field and 7-of-16 (.438) in 3-point territory against a Merrimack squad that was holding opponents to 38.3 FG% and 31.0 3FG%, respectively.

Jordan Minor posted 16 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double with three steals to lead Merrimack, while Mikey Watkins contributed 11 points and six assists alongside four steals.

DOWN THE STRETCH
  • After McCoy hit his third 3-pointer, Mykel Derring flushed his second trey to give Merrimack a 58-50 lead with 5:37 remaining.
  • Mathon scored six straight with a pair of hook shots and free throws to cut the deficit to 58-56 at 1:15.
  • Minor responded with a layup on Watkins' assist to push the lead back to four, but Mathon grabbed an offensive rebound on McCoy's missed attempt and hit both free throws at 21 seconds.
  • The Terriers tried to press Merrimack but were called with a foul around the 17-second mark.
  • The Warriors missed the 1-and-1, and BU took full advantage without calling a timeout, as Mathon received the ball in the paint and threw it out to McCoy for the deep bomb at 2.9 seconds.
  • Merrimack managed to bring the ball up to mid-court in just 1.3 seconds before calling timeout but could only muster up a contested 3-point shot in the corner that didn't even reach the rim for the loss.  
THE SETUP
  • The teams traded blows to start the game, as Minor's layup tied the contest, 7-7, at 15:38.
  • McCoy and Tynen followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 12-3 run capped by McCoy's two free throws at 12:10 for the 19-10 advantage.
  • Previously holding Rutgers to 45 points, the Warriors used their defense to score eight straight points and eventually tie the game, 22-22, at 5:54 on Malik Edmead's jumper at 5:54. 
  • Sophomore Daman Tate briefly gave BU a 25-24 lead with a free throw at 4:33, but Merrimack finished on a 13-5 run with Reid hitting four free throws and adding a 3-pointer at 46 seconds for the 37-30 halftime advantage.
  • Watkins started the second half with a successful drive to the hoop and an assist on Reid's second 3-pointer for Merrimack's largest lead of the game, 42-30, with 16:14 remaining in regulation.
  • BU quickly scored eight straight points with Morales scoring six off a layup, bonus free throw and 3-pointer.
  • The Warriors though used back-to-back 3-pointers from McKoy to retake a double-digit lead, 50-40, at 10:23.
  • The teams went back-and-forth until McCoy delivered the decisive blow in BU's final possession of the game.
GAME NOTES
  • With his final shot, McCoy moved into sole possession of No. 10 in the BU record book with 1,459 career points, surpassing D.J. Irving ('14).
  • Tynen has now reached double figures three times this season after hitting the mark three times total his previous three seasons as a Terrier.
  • Sophomore Miles Brewster earned his first career start and played 18 minutes while earning an assist.
  • The Terriers won by a point for the first time since claiming a 73-72 home victory vs. Lafayette on Jan. 2, 2020.
  • The Warriors matched their season average with 10 steals to outscore BU off turnovers, 14-11, along with an 18-16 advantage in the paint, but the Terriers owned a 13-5 lead in second-chance opportunities after posting a 25-22 advantage in rebounds.
  • BU moved to 8-0 all-time against Merrimack after beating the Warriors, 69-67, on the road in the last meeting in 2019. The Terriers hosted Merrimack for the first time since the 1984 season opener in Walter Brown Arena, which is now home to the women's ice hockey team.
UP NEXT
  • BU will visit George Washington on Wednesday (Dec. 1) at 7 p.m. 
  • The Colonials are 20-2 all-time in the series after escaping with a buzzer-beating putback for the 64-63 home win on Dec. 4, 2019.
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