Terriers Dispatch Midshipmen In PL Opener, 62-51

Wednesday, January 3

Boston, MA

2 PM

Boston University

9-3,1-0Patriot

Navy

4-8,0-1Patriot

Navy

Boston U.

Photo by: Boston University Athletics

Terriers Dispatch Midshipmen In PL Opener, 62-51

January 3, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Highlights Postgame Audio - Melissa Graves and Caitlin Weimar

BOSTON – Senior Caitlin Weimar tallied a 19-point, 14-rebound double-double, classmate Kelsi Mingo scored a career-high 15 points, and the Boston University women's basketball team captured a 62-51 victory over Navy on Wednesday afternoon at Case Gym.

BU (9-3, 1-0 PL) led by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, though Navy (4-8, 0-1 PL) cut the gap to four points on multiple occasions. However, the Terriers shot 49 percent from the field to secure their first Patriot League win on the 2023-24 campaign, and fourth overall in a row.

Weimar recorded her eighth double-double of the season while making 60 percent of her shots. Mingo hit 5-of-8 from the field while adding three steals and two blocks. Junior Alex Giannaros added 11 points, three assists, and four swipes.

The Patriot League's leading scorer, Zanai Barnett-Gay, collected 23 points on 9-of-23 shooting, with a trio of three-pointers. Sydne Watts was the Mids' next-leading scorer with eight points.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both teams traded buckets in the opening minutes, but Navy canned its first four shots of the game, the last of which was a Kate Samson midrange jumper to give the visitors a 9-6 edge.
The Terriers countered with an 11-0 run over a 3:13 span to take a 17-9 lead. Freshman Audrey Ericksen drilled a left-wing three, while Weimar capped the burst with two layups.
Reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Week Inés Monteagudo Pardo nailed her own triple to put BU on top 20-11 after one quarter.
After a brief scoring lull to open the second, Mingo drained back-to-back threes near the right sideline to hand the Terriers their largest lead of the afternoon, 26-11, with 7:47 until halftime.
BU countered a 6-0 Navy spurt with its own on layups from Giannaros, Mingo, and Weimar to replenish the 15-point lead at 32-17 with 1:48 on the clock.
With the score 33-23 at halftime, Barnett-Gay drained nine of the Mids' first 12 points in the third quarter to trim the gap to 39-35, forcing a Terrier timeout at the 5:07 mark.
Out of the break, Mingo stuck the runner to reach double figures, igniting an 11-2 extended run to last the duration of the stanza for a 50-37 BU edge heading to the fourth.
Senior Sophie Beneventine connected from 14 feet out near the baseline to put BU on top 52-39 just 2:17 into the frame.
Navy ripped off nine-consecutive points from that point, with Lizzie Holder's steal leading to a layup with 4:28 on the clock to coax a BU timeout.
With 3:40 remaining, Weimar spun on the right block and flicked a layup off glass and in to halt the Mids' run and give the Terriers a 54-48 advantage.
After Toni Papahronis' free throw, Weimar found Giannaros alone atop the key for a straightaway triple that extended the gap to 57-49 with 2:26 to go.
Barnett-Gay answered with her own jumper to return Navy's deficit to six, but Weimar's layup as the clock read 1:45 helped seal the result.

STATS

BU made 24 of 49 shots, including a .560 clip in the first half.
Navy shot 34.4 percent from the field, and just 28.6 percent from deep.
The Terriers won the rebounding battle, 39-28. In addition to Weimar's 14, sophomore Anastasiia Semenova and freshman Aoibhe Gormley added five caroms.
The Terriers led for 37:17 in the contest.
BU sported a 36-20 advantage in points in the paint, and 9-0 in second-chance points.
Both teams combined for 27 steals from 43 turnovers.

NOTES

In her Terrier career, including Patriot League Tournament games, Weimar has registered 19 double-doubles against Patriot League foes.
With one block, she also gained sole possession of eighth place in the Terrier annals with 108 rejections.
Mingo, who celebrated her birthday on Wednesday, surpassed her previous career-best of 12 points at Rhode Island on Dec. 19, 2021. She reached double digits for the second time this year.
Giannaros increased her team lead with 11 games this season with 10 or more points. In 35 career Patriot League matchups, she has averaged 10.9 points per game.
Head Coach Melissa Graves secured her 50th win in just 76 games at the helm, becoming the fastest head coach in program history to reach that milestone.
Dating back to 2021-22, BU has won 19 of its last 21 regular season Patriot League matchups.
The Terriers moved to 35-6 at home against conference opponents, postseason included, since the start of the 2019-20 season.
The all-time series between BU and Navy is now tied at 10-10, with BU boosting its win streak to six games.

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