BOSTON – In a contest featuring 13 lead changes, Northeastern used a late spurt to pull away and defeat the Boston University men's basketball team, 67-58, in Monday night's season opener at Matthews Arena.

The Terriers (0-1) owned a 34-31 halftime lead shooting 44.8 percent from the field but were limited to 35.7 percent in the second half, while the Huskies (1-0) shot 52.0 percent over the final 20 minutes. BU earned a 9-6 advantage in made 3-pointers, but Northeastern quintupled the Terriers in made free throws, 15-3, for the victory.

Freshman Kyrone Alexander went 6-of-9, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc, for a team-high 15 points, while classmate Matai Baptiste tallied 11 points and matched sophomore Nic Nobili at five rebounds apiece. Sophomore Otto Landrum helped defensively with three blocks and a career-high three steals before fouling out late in the game.

For the Huskies, preseason All-CAA Chris Doherty claimed a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Harvard transfer Luka Sakota earned a game-high 17 points alongside five assists. Named the 2020 Patriot League Rookie of the Year at Holy Cross, Joe Pridgen helped NU with 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After senior Miles Brewster opened the game with a successful drive to the hoop, the Huskies scored seven straight points for the early 7-2 advantage.
• Baptiste and junior transfer Ethan Okwuosa both scored in 3-point territory during a 12-4 run capped by Landrum's layup at 12:09.
• The teams traded blows the rest of the half with freshman Michael McNair breaking a 22-22 deadlock with a 3-pointer at 5:02.
• Freshman Spencer Joyner, Nobili and Alexander all scored from behind the arc to grab their largest lead, 34-29, at 1:44, before Sakota flushed a floater for the final field goal of the half at 1:19 for the Huskies.
• The Huskies started the second half like the first with a 7-2 spurt to move ahead, 38-36, at 16:51 on Pridgen's layup.
• Alexander netted a 3-pointer at 13:50 for a 42-40 advantage, and BU held its last lead two minutes later when Okwuosa converted on sophomore Ben Roy's steal with a layup to move ahead, 44-43.
• Harold Woods put the Huskies ahead for good on the next possession on a layup that sparked an 8-0 run capped by Sakota's trey at 9:33.
• Baptiste cut the deficit to four (55-51) with 3:41 remaining on his second 3-pointer, and Brewster kept BU within four at 2:36 (57-53).
• Doherty responded with a layup and a slam dunk following a defensive stop, and the Huskies added four free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

GAME NOTES

• Alexander's 15 points are the most by a true BU freshman in a season opener since 2016 All-PL Rookie honoree Kyle Foreman ('19) tallied 15 points against the Huskies.
• Alexander became the first true freshman to lead BU in scoring in a season opener since Carlos Strong ('10) tallied 19 in 2006 against George Washington.
• With the graduation of 10 Terriers during the offseason, Alexander and Baptiste became the first freshmen duo to score in double figures in a season opener this century for BU.
• Nobili made his first career start and played a career-high 24 minutes while hauling in a career-tying five rebounds.
• Landrum made his second career start and played a career-high 19 minutes, while Roy tied a personal best with three assists.
• Junior transfer Ben Palacios earned the start in his debut, claiming one of BU's nine steals.
• Senior Andrew Patnode tied a personal best with two rebounds while adding an assist in his first game since making an appearance in the 2022 CBI quarterfinals against Middle Tennessee.
• The Huskies broke the 75-75 series deadlock with a 30-22 advantage in points in the paint and 35-34 edge in rebounds.

UP NEXT

• BU will remain on the road and visit Big 10 member Rutgers on Friday (Nov. 10) at 7 p.m.
• The Scarlet Knights won the last meeting at home in 2018, 54-44, following an 81-79 home victory in 2012.