BOSTON – Opening a three-game homestand, the Boston University men's basketball team rallied in each half by cutting a 14-point deficit to one possession before ultimately coming up short to Sacred Heart, 73-65, on Sunday evening at Case Gym.

The Terriers (3-5) were nearly perfect at the charity stripe, shooting 16-for-17, and outscored the Pioneers (3-5) in the paint, 22-18, but SHU posted a 13-9 advantage in made 3-pointers with a 19-14 lead in points off turnovers to hold on for its second consecutive win.

Sophomore Kyrone Alexander totaled a season and game-high 22 points alongside a personal-best four steals and a season-high four assists. Classmate Michael McNair was the second Terrier in double figures at a season-high 18 points. The two men recorded a combined 12-for-20 (.600) performance from the field, as the rest of the team finished 8-for-37 (.216).

For SHU, four Pioneers scored in double figures with Amiri Stewart netting 20 points. Nyle Ralph-Beyer was one rebound shy of a double-double at 17 points, and Mekhi Connor nearly had a double-double of his own at 10 points and seven assists. Anquan Hill added 12 points and two blocks with his three 3-pointers helping SHU finish the game 13-for-28 (.464) from behind the arc and 23-for-55 (.418) overall.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• SHU started the game with a steal and 3-pointer to claim the lead for the rest of the half.
• The Pioneers flushed their fifth straight attempt from behind the arc to grab a 17-4 lead with 13:01 left in the half.
• SHU later hit an alley-oop dunk at 8:42 to grab its largest lead, 26-12.
• McNair ignited a 14-1 run with a 3-pointer and bonus free throw that also featured back-to-back treys from freshman Azmar Abdullah and Alexander.
• After junior Ben Roy flushed a pair of free throws, graduate student Miles Brewster fed Alexander for a jumper to cut the deficit to 27-26 at 4:57.
• The Terriers then had six consecutive possessions to grab the lead but came up empty each time before entering the locker room down, 30-28, thanks to Alexander's steal and layup during the final seconds.
• Alexander tied the game at 18:59 (30-30) in the second half on a jumper and lastly at 17:20 (36-36) on a 3-pointer.
• SHU though with the help of three 3-pointers went on a 14-0 run capped by Carpenter's jumper at 11:55.
• Facing a 56-46 deficit with 5:38 left, McNair hit his fourth 3-pointer, as the Terriers clawed their way back again to within three at 3:39 (58-55) and 2:56 (60-57) thanks to a pair of free throws from both Brewster and Alexander.
• BU earned a defensive stop on the next possession but missed a game-tying 3-point attempt and sent the Pioneers to the charity stripe.
• SHU hit both free throws and converted on a BU turnover with another 3-pointer at 1:09 to help pull away.

GAME NOTES

• Alexander reached 20+ points for the second time this season and third time overall after posting a career-high 23 points against Loyola Maryland last year. All three performances occurred at home.
• Alexander also had nine rebounds against Dartmouth on Nov. 16 and topped his previous best of three steals set against three squads, including Northeastern in the season opener on Nov. 4.
• McNair was three points shy of his personal best set against Lehigh at home back in February.
• Roy played a career-high 31 minutes, earning a career-tying four rebounds to finish at +4 while on the court.
• All nine Terriers who saw action earned at least one rebound to help BU out-rebound SHU, 36-34.
• SHU evened the series at 1-1 in its first ever visit to Case Gym.

UP NEXT

• The Terriers will remain home and host former America East foe UAlbany on Saturday (Dec. 7) at 1 p.m.
• The Great Danes claimed an 86-72 victory in New York last season to cut BU's series lead to 20-10.