Hot-Shooting Terriers Claim 88-76 Victory Over UMass Lowell

Sunday, December 21

Boston, MA

12 PM

Boston University

5-8,0-0Patriot

UMass Lowell

5-9,0-0America East

UMass Lowell

Boston U.

Ben Defty has a two-handed slam dunk against Brown

Photo by: Trinity Robbins

Hot-Shooting Terriers Claim 88-76 Victory Over UMass Lowell

December 21, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Highlights / Defty-Coach Brady Postgame Coach Jones Postgame

BOSTON – Shooting a season-high 66.0 percent from the field, the Boston University men's basketball team concluded the non-conference schedule with an 88-76 victory over UMass Lowell Sunday afternoon at Case Gym.

BU (5-8) finished the contest 33-for-50 (.660), just .0007 shy of the program record set in 2014 against Lafayette (36-for-57), with five Terriers scoring in double figures. The hot-shooting performance helped them snap both a three-game losing streak on the season and also a three-game losing streak to the River Hawks (5-9), who allowed a season-worst amount of points against a non-Power 4 opponent.

Sophomore Ben Defty totaled a team-high 18 points and graduate student Malcolm Chimezie posted 12 points alongside nine rebounds, as the two post players combined for 12-for-13 shooting. Freshman Sam Hughes flushed half of BU's eight 3-pointers on his way to 16 points, while classmate Chance Gladden totaled 12 points and seven assists. Junior Michael McNair also earned 12 points alongside three assists.

Both Austin Green and Angel Montas J. recorded 20 points apiece to lead UMass Lowell. Yepdo added 10 points, as the River Hawks ended the game 29-for-53 (.547). Green added a team-high seven rebounds in a contest that saw the two programs combine for just 47 boards with BU hauling in 25 total.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Never trailing, Chimezie opened the contest with a layup and responded to UML's equalizer with a hook shot and steal to help the Terriers grab the lead for good.
After Green hit two free throws to cut BU's lead to 13-11 at 14:09, Hughes flushed a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to ignite a 12-0 run capped by Defty's layup that was set up by freshman Dante Tisinger Jr.'s, steal.
After Tisinger hit a jumper at 8:00 to give BU its largest lead, 34-18, UML scored 10 straight points over the following 2:14.
Sophomore Azmar Abdullah struck from behind the arc on the Terriers' final possession to enter the locker room ahead, 47-38.
Helped by Chimezie's two early buckets and McNair's layup, Defty hit a short jumper to give BU its largest lead of the second half, 55-42.
The teams exchanged blows the rest of the contest with BU's lead never falling below seven points.
After UML hit a free throw at 3:54 to pull within seven (76-69), Hughes and Chimezie both scored to keep the River Hawks at a distance.
Gladden drained all four free throws in the final minute, and Abdullah beat UML's press with a thunderous one-handed slam to seal the win.

GAME NOTES

Five Terriers scored in double figures for the third time this season and first since visiting New Hampshire on Dec. 6.
Defty tallied at least 18 points for the third time this season and was just two shy of the career high totaled in the season opener at Northeastern.
Gladden recorded at least five assists for the fifth time this season and was one shy of matching the eight earned against Merrimack on Nov. 25.
Hughes flushed at least four 3-pointers for the fourth time after previously hitting five against both Northeastern and UNH.
Chimezie scored in double figures for the second time this year and 13th overall, as he finished just one board shy of his first career double-double.
The Terriers outscored UML in the paint, 44-36, with an 8-7 edge in made 3-pointers and 14-11 advantage in free throws.
BU retook the lead in the series, 7-6, with the third most posts scored by either team after the Terriers totaled 91 in the first (1985 / 91-83) and second-ever (2013 / 91-65) meetings.

UP NEXT

BU will start off conference action at Patriot League preseason favorite Navy on Wednesday, Dec. 31, with a 1 p.m. start time.
The teams have met three times in each of the last two seasons, combining for a 3-3 record with BU winning the 2024 PL quarterfinal and coming up short in the 2025 PL quarterfinal at home.
The Midshipmen are riding a five-game home win streak in the series following last year's 62-47 victory against the Terriers.