BOSTON – Despite graduate student Sukhmail Mathon posting a career-high 24 points and becoming the 10th Terrier to reach 700 career rebounds with 14 boards, the Boston University men's basketball team fell to Navy, 72-65, on Sunday afternoon at Case Gym.

The Terriers (11-8, 2-4 PL) moved to 8-1 this season when leading at the half, as the Midshipmen (12-5, 5-1 PL) started the second stanza 10-of-11 from the field to overcome the 32-30 deficit. Navy finished the game at 48.1 FG% and held BU to 45.3 FG% while boasting a 39-16 advantage in offensive bench production.

Mathon was one of three Terriers to score in double figures with his eighth double-double of the season. Senior Walter Whyte tallied 12 points, while junior Ethan Brittain-Watts earned a career-high 11 points. Graduate student Javante McCoy scored eight points to move up to No. 6 all-time at BU with 1,644 career points, as his streak of consecutive games in double figures came to an end at 21 dating back to last season. 

Navy utilized a well-balanced offensive attack with seven men scoring at least six points apiece. Patrick Dorsey scored a team-high 12 points off the bench, and Jaylen Walker added 11. The Midshipmen edged BU in rebounds, 32-31, and recorded a 19-15 advantage in points off turnovers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Mathon won the tip and hit a hook shot to spark a 9-0 run to start the game.
• After senior Jonas Harper flushed a 3-pointer for a 16-10 advantage, Christian Silva flushed one of his own, as Navy came back with a 7-0 spurt capped by two free throws from Austin Inge at 9:20.
• In a half featuring six lead changes and four ties, BU faced a 28-25 deficit before scoring seven straight on Mathon's putback, Brittain-Watts' 3-pointer and McCoy's slam dunk set up by his own steal.
• Helped by Walker's offensive rebound and short jumper with 30 seconds left in the half, the Midshipmen responded with a 25-7 run over an eight-minute stretch of play capped by Greg Summers' driving layup at 12:26.
• John Carter Jr. extended Navy's lead to 63-46 with 7:47 remaining.
• Facing a 68-55 deficit with under 3:30 to play, the Terriers chipped away to pull within seven (68-61) at 42 seconds on Brittain-Watt's jumper, but the Midshipmen hit four free throws to seal the win.

GAME NOTES

• Mathon now ranks ninth all-time with 708 career rebounds, two shy of Max Mahoney ('20).
• McCoy is 35 points away from matching BU Hall of Famer Jim Hayes' ('70) 1,679 career points at the No. 5 slot.
• Becoming the ninth Terrier to tally 10+ points this season, Brittain-Watts scored in double figures for the second time in his career, topping the 10 points scored at Colgate two years ago.
• Making their first visit to Case Gym since BU claimed a 69-63 Patriot League quarterfinal win in 2020, Navy earned its first sweep against the Terriers with their sixth straight regular season victory at The Roof to cut BU's all-time lead to 12-7.

UP NEXT

• BU will fly south to Baltimore to face Loyola Maryland on Wednesday (Jan. 19) at 7 p.m.
• The Greyhounds won the first meeting, 66-58, at Case Gym back on Jan. 7.