Men's Basketball Set to Open Patriot League Play at Lafayette Thursday Night

Thursday, January 2

Easton, PA

7 PM

Boston University

Lafayette

Men's Basketball Team Huddles up before the game at Maine.

Men's Basketball Set to Open Patriot League Play at Lafayette Thursday Night

January 1, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Watch on ESPN+Live Stats Game Notes Int'l Stream

Boston University (6-7, 0-0 PL) at Lafayette (5-8, 0-0 PL)
Date & Time: Thursday, Jan. 2 | 7 p.m.
Venue: Kirby Sports Center | Easton, Pa.
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMBB

BOSTON – Concluding a four-game road trip, the Boston University men's basketball team will start Patriot League play at Lafayette on Thursday night with action slated for a 7 p.m. tip.

The Terriers ended the non-conference slate and 2024 in thrilling fashion by finishing on a 10-0 run over the last 1:47 for the 59-56 victory at Maine, while the Leopards saw their losing streak extended to three games with a 70-65 home defeat to Stonehill.

TERRIER TIDBITS

Last season, the Terriers finished second in the Patriot League standings for the first time in seven years and came up just short in an overtime PL semifinal contest to Lehigh.
BU is 7-4 all-time in PL openers with a 6-5 mark in PL road openers after falling at Navy last season, 62-60.
Two sophomores lead the Terriers in scoring with Kyrone Alexander at the top with 13.3 ppg and Michael McNair in second at 10.0 ppg. The duo has combined for 55 3-pointers on 135 attempts (.407).
Graduate student Miles Brewster is third in scoring at 9.9 ppg while leading the team in steals at 1.5 spg. He, Alexander and McNair have all tabulated between 25-28 assists apiece.
Senior Malcolm Chimezie remains the team leader in both rebounding (5.7 rpg) and blocks (14) to help the Terriers earn a positive margin of 6.3 rpg against opponents.
With Sunday's win over the Black Bears, the Terriers have now claimed four victories when trailing with five minutes left in regulation after accomplishing the feat twice the previous season.
BU is averaging 69.3 ppg and 44.6 FG% while holding opponents to 68.7 ppg and 43.7 FG%.

SCOUTING LAFAYETTE

The Leopards are 4-2 at home with wins over Penn (65-63), Long Island (75-56), Niagara (59-47) and Rosemont (91-45).
The two losses were to Binghamton (82-81 OT) and Stonehill, while the lone road win occurred at Mercyhurst (77-73).
Despite only starting one game, freshman 6-foot-5 guard Alex Chaikin leads Lafayette in scoring at 11.2 ppg by shooting 30-of-53 (.566) from behind the arc.
The senior 7-foot-0 forward Justin Vander Baan is the other Leopard averaging double figures at 11.1 ppg with 2.8 bpg.
Lafayette is averaging 69.6 ppg and 41.3 FG% while holding opponents to 70.4 ppg and 43.7 FG%.

SERIES HISTORY

BU leads the all-time series, 20-10, that dates back to 1948.
Both road teams won last season with the Terriers avenging their 59-51 loss with a 62-48 victory at Lafayette thanks to Landrum's 26-point and nine-rebound performance.
In the second half of the victory, BU held the Leopards to 6-of-27 FG (.222), as Lafayette dropped to 7-1 in PL play.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Terriers will return to Case Gym on Sunday (Jan. 5) to host Army West Point at 1 p.m.
The Black Knights have won the last three meetings, including a 69-59 decision at BU.