BOSTON – Helped by a strong second half defensive effort, Army West Point defeated the Boston University men's basketball team, 69-59, on Wednesday night at Case Gym.

The Terriers (7-13, 2-5 PL) shot 48.1 percent in the first half but were held to 27.6 percent over the final 20 minutes, while the Black Knights (6-14, 2-5 PL) improved on their first half performance from 39.1 FG% to 58.3 FG% in the second.

Freshman Kyrone Alexander tallied a game-high 14 points, while classmate Matai Baptiste totaled 10 points as the second Terrier in double figures. Senior Miles Brewster tied his personal best with a game-high seven rebounds while adding seven points, five assists and four steals.

For the Black Knights, both Josh Scovens and Ryan Curry earned 12 points apiece with AJ Allenspach coming off the bench for 11 points. TJ Small earned eight points, seven rebounds and two steals.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first half featured four lead changes and a pair of ties over the first five minutes of action with Small flushing a 3-pointer for a 10-9 advantage at 15:09.
• Alexander responded with a layup to spark a 9-0 spurt capped by Brewster's trey at 13:03.
• Army briefly pulled within two, 18-16, three minutes later, but BU scored seven quick points to grab their largest lead of the game, 25-16, thanks to sophomore Nico Nobili's 3-pointer at 7:30.
• Sophomore Ben Roy's layup with 2:50 remaining marked the final bucket of the half, as BU entered the locker room ahead, 30-23.
• The teams exchanged buckets to start the second half with Baptiste hitting a pair of free throws for the 37-29 lead at 16:47.
• Army then scored seven straight points and eventually grabbed their first lead of the second half, 43-42, on Allenspach's 3-point play with 9:58 remaining.
• After Nobili's layup gave BU its final lead, 49-47, at 6:24, Scovens and Jared Cross hit back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite a 13-0 game-changing run ended by another Scovens trey with 2:39 left.
• BU briefly got within nine in the final minute but never got any closer.

GAME NOTES

• Alexander scored double-digit points for the fifth time overall this season and first since tabulating 13 against Maine back on Dec. 6.
• Baptiste also hit the mark for the fifth time this season following a 12-point performance at Sacred Heart back on Dec. 2.
• Alexander and Baptiste also finished as the lone Terriers in double figures back in the season opener at Northeastern.
• Brewster led BU in rebounds for the third time this season by tying his seven-rebound haul vs. Lehigh one year ago while tabulating five or more assists for the fifth time.
• Army finished with an 8-6 advantage in made 3-pointers and 15-11 lead in free throws to help overcome BU's 14-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
• The Black Knights cut BU's series lead to 22-18.

UP NEXT

• BU will return on the road by making its first of three trips during conference play to the Keystone State with a visit to Lafayette on Saturday (Jan. 27) at 2 p.m.
• The Leopards won the first meeting at BU back on Jan. 6, 59-51, after both home teams won in OT last year.