NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Boosted by graduate student Jonas Harper's 15 points and classmate Walter Whyte's double-double, the Boston University men's basketball claimed a 68-54 win at NEC preseason favorite Merrimack on Friday night.

The Terriers (5-4) snapped a three-game losing streak shooting 52.2 percent in the second half and limiting the Warriors (1-8) to just 31.0 percent. More impressively though, they won the steal battle (8-7) against a Merrimack squad that was averaging 11.4 steals, highlighted by 14 at St. John's and 46 total over the last three contests against Providence (12), Bradley (16) and UMass Lowell (18).

Harper keyed the win converting on two of his own steals with a layup late in the first half during a 10-0 run and then helped BU pull away in the second with three 3-pointers on five attempts for his fifth 15+ point performance of the season. Whyte totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds to become the sixth Terrier in program history to reach 1,300+ points and 700+ rebounds, while senior Ethan Brittain-Watts went 5-of-6 for a season-high 12 points.

Returning to the court after missing the last six games, preseason All-NEC forward Jordan Minor posted a game-high 21 points alongside six rebounds, three blocks and three assists, while Ziggy Reid earned 13 points.

TURNING POINT

• With 15:35 remaining, graduate student Fletcher Tynen hit a floater to break the 38-38 deadlock and spark a 24-5 run over the next nine minutes with Harper scoring BU's final nine points on 3-pointers, including a trey at 4:18.
• Merrimack went 2-of-16 from the field during that stretch until scoring 11 points over the last 3:30 of regulation.

THE SETUP

• Javon Bennett opened the game with a 3-pointer, but junior Daman Tate followed senior Nevin Zink's layup with a 3-pointer to grab the early 5-3 lead.
• The teams traded blows for most of the second half with Merrimack grabbing its largest lead at 12:05 (17-13) and 9:03 (22-18), respectively.
• BU started 3-of-3 in 3-point territory but missed the next seven attempts before junior Anthony Morales was fouled at 2:25 with Merrimack ahead, 29-28.
• After Morales flushed all three free throws, Harper and Brittain-Watts scored on back-to-back steals with Harper adding another steal and bucket with a bonus free throw to pull ahead, 38-29, at 1:52.
• Reid scored the last four points from the charity stripe to cut the halftime deficit to 38-33.
• The Terriers started the second half missing their first four shots while committing two turnovers, allowing Merrimack to tie the game, 38-38, on Reid's putback and Mykel Derring's 3-pointer.

GAME NOTES

• Shooting 3-of-5 from behind the arc, Harper grabbed sole possession of No. 10 in the program record book at 178 career 3-pointers.
• Harper now owns 903 points and is 97 shy of becoming the 42nd Terrier to reach 1,000.
• Whyte sits with 1,356 points, 11 shy of tying for 14th, and 702 rebounds, two shy of tying for 10th.
• BU went 8-of-17 in 3-point territory after going a combined 8-of-47 in the last two games of the Cream City Classic with Tate and Brittain-Watts draining two apiece.
• Brittain-Watts became the third Terrier alongside Whyte and Harper to score in double digits at least three times this season.
• The Terriers finished with a 21-7 advantage in points of turnovers and improved to 9-0 all-time in the series after winning the last two meetings in 2019 and 2021 by a combined three points.

UP NEXT

• BU will next visit ACC power Notre Dame on Wednesday (Dec. 7) night at 7 p.m.
• The Irish lead the all-time series, 3-0, with all three wins coming at home, including a 74-67 decision in 2008.