LOWELL, Mass. – Despite finishing with a 9-2 advantage in made 3-pointers, the Boston University men's basketball team ended the non-conference schedule with a 68-60 loss at UMass Lowell on Wednesday afternoon.

In a contest featuring six ties and 10 lead changes, the River Hawks (12-2) scored eight straight points over a fourth-minute stretch to pull away late from the Terriers (7-6) and remain perfect at home with a 7-0 record. UML was held 13.7 points below its scoring average but did manage to shoot 58.3 FG% in the second half while outscoring BU in both second-chance opportunities (15-5) and in the paint (48-22).

Senior Ethan Brittain-Watts went 6-of-9 from the field to tally a team-high 16 points, while graduate student Walter Whyte earned 14 points, eight rebounds, a steal and a block. Senior Nevin Zink recorded nine points and six rebounds, and junior Anthony Morales came off the bench with eight points and five boards.

Playing for his third school following stints at Pitt and St. Bonaventure, Abdoul Karim Coulibaly had a strong performance as the lone River Hawk in double figures, posting a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds for the double-double. He also claimed four steals and three blocks to help UML hold BU to 33.9 FG%. William & Mary transfer Yuri Covington came off the bench with nine points and four rebounds.

THE TURNING POINT

• After BU missed the go-ahead 3-point attempt, Coulibaly broke the 55-55 deadlock with a layup at 4:11.
• The Terriers drew a foul but missed the 1-and-1 before getting a steal and missing a jump shot.
• Covington followed with two free throws, Coulibaly took advantage of his own block with a layup to move ahead, 61-55, at 2:28.
• Facing a UML squad that entered the game ranked eighth nationally in holding opponents to just 36.6 FG%, BU missed eight straight field goal attempts following Zink's game-tying layup and bonus free throw until Brittain-Watts scored on a layup at 18 seconds.

THE SETUP

• Senior Fletcher Tynen tied the game, 8-8, at 15:49 on BU's first 3-pointer, and Morales followed two Whyte free throws with a trey at 13:00 to keep the game tied, 13-13.
• Facing a 17-15 deficit, Brittain-Watts scored from downtown before junior Daman Tate hit two free throws and found graduate student Jonas Harper in the corner for another 3-pointer and the Terriers' largest lead of the game, 23-17, at 8:36.
• UMass Lowell scored seven straight over the next two minutes and grabbed a 28-26 lead at 2:12 at 2:12 on Mincey's layup.
• Tynen responded with a pair of free throws, and Zink converted in the paint at 1:00 to help BU enter the locker room ahead, 30-28.
• After Harper fed sophomore Malcolm Chimezie for a dunk and the Terriers' last lead, 38-37, at 14:28, UML tried to pull away with an 8-0 spurt capped at 11:40 on Withers' second-chance bucket.
• Down 49-42 with 8:37 remaining, Whyte scored on a layup, and Morales later scored on a 3-pointer at 6:21 to pull within one, 53-52.
• Books responded with a tip-in slam dunk followed a missed River Hawk layup before Zink tied the game for the last time.

GAME NOTES

• Whyte moved up to No. 12 in all-time scoring at BU with 1,426 points and eighth in rebounds at 726.
• Brittain-Watts scored in double figures for the fourth time in five games after hitting the mark four times total during his first three seasons while leading the Terriers in scoring for the second time in his career.
• BU lost for the first time this season when leading at the half and is now 6-1.
• UML snapped a three-game losing streak to BU to cut the the Terriers' series lead to 6-4 while improving to 2-0 at the Costello Athletic Center.

UP NEXT

• The Terriers will take a break for the holidays and next open Patriot League play at home against Navy on Friday, Dec. 30 with tip-off set for 2 p.m.
• Navy won all three meetings last season, including a 72-65 decision at The Roof and 85-80 OT home victory in the Patriot League semifinals.