BOSTON – Led by a stingy defensive effort and clutch shooting, the Boston University men's basketball team claimed a thrilling 56-54 victory at Atlantic 10 foe George Washington on Wednesday night.
Both graduate students
Javante McCoy and
Sukhmail Mathon delivered a team-high 17 points to help the Terriers earn their best start to a season since the 2013-14 squad also opened at 6-3. James Bishop had a game-high 23 points but was the only Colonial in double figures, as GW fell to 2-7.
Neither program led by more than eight points In a matchup featuring seven ties and five lead changes. BU finished shooting only 20-of-53 (.377) while holding GW to 23-of-59 (.390) but was able to claim a 13-4 advantage in made free throws for the victory, as McCoy scored the game's final four points from the charity stripe over the last 2:33..
DOWN THE STRETCH
- Bishop delivered a 3-pointer at 5:07 to push GW ahead, 52-50, and added his team's final bucket of the game at 3:50 with a contested jumper to maintain the two-point advantage, 54-52.
- BU's defense shut down the Colonials' offense, which missed its final six field goal attempts and also committed two turnovers.
- McCoy tied the game at 2:33 with a pair of free throws and stepped up defensively with a steal to draw another foul at 1:31 and grab the lead off two more free throws, 56-54.
- Both teams had two empty possessions with Brendan Adams earning a steal on BU's final possession to keep the game within striking distance at 22 seconds.
- The Colonials could not convert, as they missed a 3-point attempt and ensuing floater in the paint before retaining possession on a jump ball situation.
- Ricky Lindo Jr. tried to hit a jumper mid-air on the in-bounds but the shot was off, as BU claimed the two-point win.
THE SETUP
- After Adams opened the game with a layup for GW, Mathon hit a turnaround jump shot to spark an 11-1 run capped by McCoy's layup at 14:17.
- The Colonials though quickly regained momentum with a 16-2 run capped by Lindo's steal and Adams' fastbreak layup at 8:53 to pull ahead, 19-13.
- McCoy cut the deficit to two, 28-26, at 5:00 on BU's lone 3-pointer of the half, but GW reeled off six points to enter the locker room ahead, 34-26.
- After being held to 31.3 FG% in the first half, the Terriers shot 47.6 FG% in the second and started off hot with McCoy hitting two free throws and setting up sophomore Miles Brewster's 3-pointer to pull within one, 34-33, at 17:39.
- Brayon Freeman came back with a jumper, but senior Fletcher Tynen tied the game on BU's next possession with a 3-pointer.
- BU momentarily pulled ahead, 46-40, at 9:43 following Mathon's hook shot, sophomore Anthony Morales' fastbreak slam dunk set up by his own steal and then Brewster's jumper.
- Bishop though cut the deficit to 48-47 at 7:40 on a 3-pointer and added another a 5:07 to set up the exciting finish.
GAME NOTES
- The Terriers not only claimed their first-ever road win at George Washington in 12 tries dating back to the 1958-59 season but also beat an Atlantic 10 team for the first time since posting a 69-66 win at Fordham in the opening round of the 2016 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
- McCoy moved past BU Hall of Famer Kenny Boyd ('74) for the No. 9 slot in the program record book at 1,476 career points.
- Making his second career start, Brewster went 4-of-6 from the field and added a 3-pointer for a personal-best nine points in 29 minutes of action.
- Freshman Malcolm Chimezie hauled in a personal-best seven rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench.
- With six rebounds, Mathon is now just five away from reaching 600 career rebounds.
- BU outscored GW in the paint, 32-24, in second-chance opportunities, 13-11, and on fast breaks, 8-4.
- GW's 20 second-half points tied Sam Houston State's 20 first-half points in BU's Jax Bracket title victory on Nov. 22 for the fewest allowed by the Terriers. The 20 points are the fewest allowed in the second half, beating the 23 Merrimack scored in BU's 61-60 come-from-behind win on Sunday.
- BU snapped a three-game losing streak to GW, avenging the one-point loss from two years ago and earning its first win since a 76-67 decision at the 2010 Preseason NIT Tip-Off hosted by Villanova, as the Colonials moved to 20-3 all-time in the series.
UP NEXT
- The Terriers will return home and host former America East foe Binghamton on Saturday (Dec. 4) at 1 p.m.
- Binghamton prevailed at home two years ago, 84-79, in overtime and will be making its first visit to Case Gym since BU claimed a 77-65 win in 2014.
