Navy Pulls Away Late to Defeat Men's Basketball, 58-50

Wednesday, January 28

Boston, MA

7 PM

Boston University

8-14,3-6Patriot

Navy

16-6,8-1Patriot

Navy

Boston U.

Photo by: Dan Koerner

Navy Pulls Away Late to Defeat Men's Basketball, 58-50

January 28, 2026 | Men's Basketball

Highlights Coach Jones Postgame

BOSTON – In a contest that saw multiple runs by both programs, the Boston University men's basketball team faltered late in a 58-50 loss to Navy on Wednesday night at Case Gym.

The Terriers (8-14, 3-6 PL) cut a 10-point deficit to two at 4:15 on freshman Chance Gladden's 3-pointer, but the Midshipmen (16-6, 8-1 PL) finished the contest on a 9-3 run to pull away for their fourth straight victory. Navy overcame finishing 15 points below the season scoring average by recording 12 steals as part of a defensive effort that limited BU to 38.0 percent shooting on the night.

Sophomore Ben Defty totaled a team-high 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, while junior Michael McNair scored 13 points with the help of three 3-pointers. Gladden added eight points alongside five assists, and classmate Sam Hughes hauled in seven rebounds.

The Midshipmen also only had two score in double figures with PL Preseason Player of the Year Austin Benigni tallying a game-high 20 points. Jinwoo Kim went a perfect 4-for-4 in 3-point territory with three daggers directed toward BU in the second half. Aidan Kehoe finished 12 points below his 18.4 conference scoring average but was able to make his presence felt in the paint with a game-high nine rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Terriers jumped out to a 14-0 lead with Hughes starting the game off on a 3-pointer and freshman Donte Tisinger Jr. capping the run with a jumper at 14:09.
After the Mids missed their first eight shot attempts, they went 10-for-15 the rest of the half, which featured both squads committing nine turnovers apiece.
Donovan Draper opened Navy's scoring with a jumper at 13:42 to spark a 10-0 run capped by his own layup that was set up by Benigni's steal.
Held scoreless for nearly eight minutes, Hughes flushed his second 3-pointer for a 17-10 advantage with 6:28 left.
After Kim scored from behind the arc at 1:59 to pull within two (23-21), Defty finished the half with two free throws and a layup to enter the locker room ahead, 27-21.
The Mids though started the second half with seven straight points, highlighted by Kim's second trey, to prompt a BU timeout at 16:54.
BU quickly retook the lead, 33-28, off two Defty buckets and two McNair free throws, but Navy came right back with a 15-0 run that featured three 3-pointers, including one from Benigni at 9:59 for a 43-33 advantage.
Facing a 47-37 deficit with 8:04 remaining, BU chipped away over the next four minutes and eventually pulled within two (49-47) on Gladden's bucket from behind the arc.
Navy though came out of a called timeout at 4:09 with a 7-0 spurt helped by Draper hitting a putback, earning two steals and setting up Benigni's 3-pointer with 2:39 left.
McNair cut Navy's lead to 56-50 on a 3-pointer at 1:35, but the Terriers missed their final three shot attempts for the loss.

GAME NOTES

Defty finished a game with 19+ points for the fourth time this season and with at least four blocks for the third time.
Hughes hauled in at least seven rebounds for the third time to help the Terriers win the battle at the boards, 31-28, after being out-rebounded, 37-28, in the 82-77 loss at Navy back on Dec. 31.
McNair netted at least three 3-pointers for the 15th time this season in 22 appearances after he accomplished the feat 14 times over his first 59 games.
BU held Navy to 6-for-18 (.333) shooting in 3-point territory after the Mids went 10-for-25 (.400) in the previous matchup.
Navy also only took two free throw attempts after finishing 22-for-30 at the charity stripe in the previous meeting.
The Mids tied the all-time series, 15-15, with their fourth win in five meetings after BU eliminated Navy in the 2024 PL quarterfinals at home.

UP NEXT

Scheduled to play two road contests over three, BU will first trek to Bucknell on Saturday (Jan. 31) for a 2 p.m. tip.
Both home teams won last season with the Terriers posting an 85-82 OT victory and the Bison earning a 76-60 win.