Terriers Defeat Lehigh for 17th Straight Win, 78-65

Saturday, February 25

Bethlehem, PA

4 PM

Boston University

22-6,17-0Patriot

Lehigh

15-13,11-6Patriot

Boston U.

Lehigh

Photo of women's basketball senior Sydney Johnson doing a crossover dribble.

Photo by: Matt Woolverton

Terriers Defeat Lehigh for 17th Straight Win, 78-65

February 25, 2023 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Postgame Audio - Melissa Graves

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Junior Caitlin Weimar notched a 24-point, 15-rebound double-double, four other Terriers scored in double figures, and the Boston University women's basketball program won its 17th-straight game with a 78-65 triumph over Lehigh on Saturday evening at Stabler Arena.

After leading by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, BU (22-6, 17-0 PL) saw its lead evaporate in the third thanks to a 20-4 extended run from the Mountain Hawks (15-13, 11-6 PL). However, BU closed the stanza on a 22-4 burst to regain the lead for good.

With the win, BU has set a program record with 17 conference wins on the season, eclipsing the 2008-09 squad's 16 victories. The Terriers also collect their third season sweep of Lehigh ever, and first since 2018-19.

In addition to her 14th double-double of the year, Weimar added a game-high four blocks. Senior Sydney Johnson collected 12 points, while classmate Maggie Pina, sophomore Alex Giannaros, and freshman Sam Crispe each tallied 11 points. Junior Sophie Beneventine dished out a career-high seven assists.

Frannie Hottinger posted 24 points and 11 boards for her own double-double to pace the Mountain Hawks. Mackenzie Kramer and Anna Harvey registered 15 and 11 points, respectively.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Giannaros and Johnson each canned threes on opposite wings in the opening 2:35 to put BU ahead 8-2.
Lehigh called time with 5:09 on the clock after Johnson pulled up for a left-elbow jumper that made it 14-6 Terriers.
After the lead was cut to five, Crispe spun past Hottinger for a floating layup, then Johnson hit one from the foul line to help BU claim a 20-13 edge after 10 minutes.
BU scored the first six points in the second. Sophomore Lauren Davenport made two baskets, including a eurostep in transition as the clock read 7:24 for a 26-13 Terrier edge.
Weimar snagged an offensive rebound and put the ball in to give the Terriers their largest lead of the first half, 36-22, with 3:47 until halftime.
The Mountain Hawks rattled off 10-consecutive points from that point, however, capped off with Kramer's old-fashioned three-point play.
Lehigh had a chance to cut it to one possession in the final seconds, but senior Maggie Pina coaxed a turnover and finished the right-handed layup just before the buzzer to put BU on top 38-32 at the break.
The Mountain Hawks started the third on an 8-0 burst, taking a 40-38 lead on Lily Fandre's right-corner triple with 7:12 remaining in the frame.
In the rest of the stanza, however, the Terriers outscored Lehigh 22-4. In the middle of that stretch was a 14-0 spurt where Weimar dropped eight points, and Pina added four, including a layup that split two defenders and a baseline floater near the right block.
Pina and Crispe ended the third with straightaway threes for a 60-44 Terrier advantage.
BU ignited the fourth quarter with an 8-2, where Johnson and Giannaros again delivered three-pointers, the latter pushing the lead to 68-46 with 6:45 left.
Despite draining five triples in the final 4:32, Lehigh got as close as 11 points in the final moments. Crispe added two layups, and freshman Anastasiia Semenova iced the scoring on a layup off Beneventine's pass.

STATS

The Terriers shot over 53 percent from the field in the game, including a 7-for-13 (.538) clip from downtown.
Lehigh made just under 38 percent of its shots. Prior to a 5-for-9 fourth quarter from beyond the arc, the Mountain Hawks were 5-for-22 (.227) from downtown.
BU recorded 17 assists on 31 made baskets.
In the rebounding department, the Terriers prevailed, 35-34.
BU had just 10 turnovers, and turned 13 Lehigh turnovers into 15 points.
The Terriers sported a 42-24 edge in point paints.
Lehigh led in the game for just 15 seconds.

GAME NOTES

BU went undefeated in the month of February for the second time in program history, and first time since 2009.
The Terriers are the third team in Patriot League history to reach 17 conference wins, joining the 2015-16 Army West Point and Bucknell teams.
In her last three games, Weimar is averaging 25.7 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 68.1 percent from the field.
Her .632 field goal percentage during league action paces her Patriot League counterparts. She ranks third and fourth with 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, respectively.
Johnson has averaged 18.6 points in her last five contests against Lehigh, dating back to her sophomore campaign.
The senior also moved into 13th place on BU's all-time scoring list, and is now tied with former teammate Katie Nelson '21 for 10th place with 315 career assists.
Pina has reached double figures in five of her last seven games, averaging 11.9 points per matchup in that span.
Giannaros, after making three of her five three-point attempts, is shooting 55.4 percent from distance on the season.
Crispe shot 5-for-8 to set a season-best in buckets made. Saturday was her fifth game in double digits.
The Terriers have knotted the all-time series against Lehigh, 11-11.