BOSTON – Behind a red-hot shooting performance from 3-point range, the Boston University women's basketball team advanced to the 2021 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Tournament semifinals with a 74-68 quarterfinal round win over Lafayette Sunday afternoon at Case Gym.
 
The Terriers (11-2) were deadly from beyond-the-arc, connecting on 13-of-22 attempts (.591), as Sydney Johnson, Maggie Pina and Katie Nelson each drilled at least four 3-pointers. Johnson stuffed the stat sheet, setting season highs in points (19), assists (9) and rebounds (7). Maren Durant took over the game in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of her 17 points, and matched Johnson for the team lead in rebounds.

Leading by one to start the fourth quarter, the Terriers used a 14-0 run to start the frame to put the game out of reach.

How It Happened

• Lafayette used its size advantage down low to take the early lead, 6-2, until Pina netted a 3-pointer from the corner to cut the gap to one.
• The Leopards stroked a 9-0 run to push out a double-digit grip, 15-5, with 2:17 left in the first quarter.
• The Terriers broke the momentum with a timeout and came out of the break explosive, hitting their next four field goal attempts, as a 10-3 run cut the deficit to 18-15 at the end of the first quarter.
• BU retained the hot hand as Nelson and Johnson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to take the upper hand, 24-22, two minutes into the second.
• Another Nelson triple extended BU's advantage to four, but Lafayette used an additional 9-0 spurt to swing the scoreboard in its favor, 33-28.
• Chiara Tibbit hit a jumper in the paint before Pina and Johnson connected from downtown, as a 9-0 run made it a 38-33 game at the half.
• Nelson and Pina worked for back-to-back 3-pointers until Maren Durant netted a putback layup to give BU its largest lead, 46-38, with 6:24 left in the quarter.
• The Leopards utilized an 8-0 streak to tie it up until Durant added another putback, and Johnson finished a no-look feed from Nelson to reclaim the upper hand.
• Lafayette scored five quick points to briefly reclaim the lead, but Johnson hit a mid-range jumper to close out the quarter, as the score held at 52-51 in favor of the Terriers.
• Once again, the Terriers started a quarter by utilizing the 3-ball, as Johnson and Nelson added three makes before Durant went for five straight points to push BU's largest lead to 66-51 with 6:05 to play.
• Durant scored 11 of BU's last 13 points, as the Terriers advanced to the semifinals for the second consecutive season.

Game Notes

• BU improved to 3-6 all-time in Patriot League Tournament games.
• Furthermore, the Terriers improved to 3-1 in home tournament games and 2-2 in quarterfinal games.
• Durant's 17 points set a new career high, surpassing her previous total of 15 vs. Holy Cross on Feb. 17.

Up Next

• The Terriers will play the winner of the American vs. Army game on Thursday, March 11.