BOSTON - Junior Sydney Johnson poured in a game-high 24 points for a second consecutive outing, and freshman Alex Giannaros scored 11 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Boston University women's basketball program overcome Lafayette 67-57 on Wednesday evening at Case Gym.

The Terriers (11-8, 7-1 PL) endured a 25-point third quarter from the Leopards (7-10, 3-4 PL), and outscored the visitors 29-11 in the final frame to capture their sixth straight victory at The Roof and seventh triumph in their past eight games. BU made seven of its 11 shots in the final 10 minutes, and went 12-of-15 from the foul line in the stanza to close out the game.

Johnson led the team with four three-pointers, shooting 8-for-17 from the field. Giannaros shot 60 percent, while senior Chiara Tibbitt tallied a season-high 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Junior Maren Durant snagged a game-best 11 rebounds.

Lafayette had five players score nine or more points, led by 13 from Makayla Andrews. Makaila Wilson notched 12 points, while Jessica Booth added 10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Abby Antognoli drained a three for the Leopards near the midpoint of the first quarter to give the Leopards a 9-6 lead, but the Terriers answered with a 9-0 run the rest of the period. Johnson nailed her first triple with 2:53 on the clock, then Giannaros, Tibbitt, and Durant each made shots within 15 feet.
• Johnson's hook shot outside the paint to open the second capped the 11-0 burst.
• After Lafayette crawled back within 17-13, Johnson hit a midrange jumper after Durant blocked Naomi Ganpo on the other end, then Giannaros found the bottom of the net after an errant Nicole Johnson pass to boost BU's edge to eight with 3:22 until halftime.
• A Johnson three with 1:10 remaining was the last bucket of the second quarter, staking the Terriers to a 30-21 halftime advantage.
• The Leopards exploded out of the break with a 12-3 spurt. Wilson converted twice near the basket, and Andrews' layup with 6:24 left in the third prompted a BU timeout with the score knotted at 33.
• Sophomore Caitlin Weimar made two free throws after the stoppage, but Lafayette went on an 11-0 run to take a 44-35 lead with 50 seconds until the fourth quarter.
• Tibbitt drained a three from the top of the key, but Booth's layup in the waning seconds put the Leopards ahead 46-38 after three frames.
• Giannaros scored nine consecutive points to jumpstart the BU offense in the fourth's first two-and-a-half minutes, drilling two threes, then hitting a driving layup while drawing a foul and completing the nostalgic three-point play to bring the Terriers within 48-47.
• BU regained the lead when Johnson sank a floater on the elbow with 5:07 to go, igniting a 6-0 run that extended the edge to 56-50.
• Lafayette got within 56-55 on Ganpo's and-one opportunity, but Johnson knocked down a three-pointer with 2:04 left to put the Terriers on top 59-55.
• Giannaros made a hook shot near the top of the paint through traffic after Johnson went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to make it 62-55, and then made free throws the rest of the way.

GAME NOTES

• BU shot 44.9 percent in the game, including 7-of-18 from beyond the arc.
• Lafayette shot 40.4 percent, but was limited to just 2-of-16 makes from three-point range.
• The Terriers won the rebounding battle, 34-25, remaining undefeated in Patriot League play when tying or out-rebounding their opponent.
• The Leopards had a 14-4 edge on points off turnovers and 28-14 with points in the paint, but BU's bench outscored Lafayette's 26-9.
• Johnson, who celebrated her birthday on Tuesday (Jan. 25), has scored 20-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time in her career. She is averaging 21 points in her last four games.
• Giannaros has scored nine or more points in every Patriot League game she's appeared in, averaging 15 points across six contests.
• Tibbitt reached double figures for the first time since Jan. 10, 2021 at Colgate. She has three career games with 10 or more points.
• BU welcomed Giannaros, Tibbitt, and Weimar back into the rotation after the trio missed the past two games.
• The Terriers improve to 18-9 all-time against Lafayette, and have won four straight in the series. Wednesday marked the first game decided by double digits since Feb. 4, 2017, a stretch of nine games.

UP NEXT

• BU opens a modest, two-game road swing by visiting Colgate this Saturday (Jan. 29). Opening tip is scheduled for 2 p.m.