From the FreeP: BU suffers 3rd buzzer-beater loss

By Michael Bagarella/DFP Staff

Since its home loss against George Washington University on Nov. 17, the Boston University men’s basketball team was only a last-second bucket from senior guard D.J. Irving away from a four-game win streak.

Instead, the Terriers fell to Harvard University on the road Tuesday night and lost after its three-game winning streak.

The strong play from BU came after their loss to George Washington University, in which the Terriers were embarrassed in front of their home fans. BU traveled to New Brunswick, N.J., to take on Rutgers University and fought until the last possession. After a flagrant foul on BU, the Scarlet Knights (7–2) pulled out the close game, 81–79.

Four days later on Nov. 24, BU lost another close game at George Mason University, 48–45. Even after an 0–5 start, the first win for the Terriers was imminent.

In their second home game of the season, the Terriers played host to a very good Coastal Carolina University team. Eager for the first win of the season, the Terriers defended the Chanticleers (2–5) to the brink and held the high scoring team to only 44 points. The Terriers were able to put up 74 points and defeated Coastal Carolina to get their first win of the season.

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From the FreeP: Terriers fall to Harvard on road

By Christopher Dela Rosa/DFP Staff

The Boston University men’s basketball team took the short trip over to Lavietes Pavilion in Allston to take on Harvard University Tuesday, and fell to the Crimson 65–64.

The Terriers (3–6) entered the game looking to pick up their fourth victory in a row and continue their hot streak as the first half of the season nears its end. Meanwhile, the Crimson (5–4) were trying to rebound following a tough 57–49 loss against the University of Connecticut.

The Crimson scored after winning the tip with a tough shot from senior guard Christian Webster. The Terriers followed with a score of their own as junior forward Dom Morris backed his way into the paint to tie up the game.

With a little less than 13 minutes remaining in the first half, both teams were knotted up at eight, due to a high amount of turnovers and simple mistakes.

From then, the teams went into a stalemate, missing shot after shot on top of fouls and traveling violations, which ultimately led to a three-minute scoring drought.

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Live Blog: BU @ Harvard 12/11

From the FreeP: Terriers look to continue hot streak in battle with Crimson

By Christopher Dela Rosa/DFP Staff

Tuesday night, the Boston University men’s basketball team will take the two-mile trip to Allston to take on Harvard University at the Lavietes Pavilion.

Freshman point guard Maurice Watson Jr. has been among the Terriers’ top performers, scoring 10.1 points per game.

The Terriers (3–5, 0–0 America East) are coming in hot after traveling to Conway, S.C., and defeating Coastal Carolina University, 69–63, to increase their win streak to three games.

BU’s streak started against Coastal Carolina (2–5) when the Chanticleers came to Boston and were blown out by the Terriers by a score of 74–44.

From there, BU went on the road to take on St. Peter’s University in Jersey City, N.J., where it recorded another quality victory.

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From the FreeP: Terriers travel south for rematch with Chanticleers

By Michael Bagarella/DFP Staff

Only eight days and one game after defeating Coastal Carolina University, 74–44, for its first win of the season, the Boston University men’s basketball team will travel to Conway, S.C., to play the Chanticleers for the second time this season at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Entering the first contest at Case Gym, Coastal Carolina (2–4) was averaging 77 points a game with most of its offense coming through senior guard Anthony Raffa, who is second in the nation in scoring with an average of 26 points a game.

On the other hand, BU was a young team struggling for its first win of the season. On paper, it seemed like the matchup would result in the Terriers’ sixth loss of the season.

However, the opposite happened.

The Terriers took it to the Chanticleers in the first half and found themselves up 31–18 at halftime thanks to 12 points off Coastal Carolina turnovers.

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From the FreeP: Terriers take down St. Peter’s, begin 2-game winning streak

By Michael Bagarella/DFP Staff

After starting the season 0–5, the Boston University men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to two games after defeating St. Peter’s University, 74–66.

The 0–5 start is not yet behind BU coach Joe Jones and the rest of the Terrier team, but the valuable experience it provided is definitely not forgotten.

“You talk about a team that returned only four guys with any experience — no one else has any experience on this level,” Jones said. “No matter who these guys are, unless you’re Kentucky, you are going to struggle. Anybody else that plays the schedule we play with inexperienced guys like us it’s going to be hard.”

The Terriers (2–5) finally got their first win of the season against Coastal Carolina University, blowing out the Chanticleers 70–40. BU looked to build upon that when they traveled to Jersey City, New Jersey, to play St. Peter’s (3–4) on Saturday.

BU was clearly the squad ready to play and got out to a quick lead against the Peacocks (3–4). Thanks to a few early misses by St. Peter’s and strong all-around play from BU, the Terriers found themselves ahead 13–4 only 5:28 into the game.

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Struggle for first win comes to an end

By Michael Bagarella/DFP Staff

The Boston University men’s basketball team could breathe a sigh of relief after defeating Coastal Carolina University Wednesday night, 74–44, as the victory ensured it would not go winless in the 2012-13 season.

Prior to their first win of the season, the Terriers (1–5) were on a five-game losing streak that featured three last-second losses and a handful of road losses due to their lack of defensive presence.

“We were poor defensively and that cost us some games early,” said BU coach Joe Jones. “We could say we played a hard schedule, and it was on the road, but those are just excuses … It was more about our defensive effort that we did not have.”

The Terriers opened the season at Northeastern University, where they fell to the Huskies (4–2) by a score of 65–64, courtesy of a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by guard Demetrius Pollard.

BU then traveled to Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 12 to play a Canisius University team that was a dismal 5–25 last year. The Terriers did not lead once in the game and lost, 83–75.

UPDATED: BU routs Coastal Carolina 74–44; Earns first win of the season

By Christopher Dela Rosa/DFP Sports

Wednesday night the Boston University men’s basketball team faced Coastal Carolina University at Case Gym and earned its first win of the season in a 74–44 victory.

It was the first of two meetings between the Terriers (1–5) and Chanticleers (2–4), and the series marks the first time BU will face a non-conference opponent more than once since the 2006–07 season.

“We have a lot of respect for Coastal Carolina,” said BU coach Joe Jones after the win. “I thought they were a team coming in that was very dangerous.”

BU got off to a nice start after junior forward Dom Morris won the tip-off for the Terriers. On the opening possession, junior forward Travis Robinson missed an open 3-pointer, which Morris was able to salvage with an offensive rebound.

After the offensive rebound, a series of turnovers ensued for both teams.

BU vs. Coastal Carolina Live Blog

From the FreeP: Men’s basketball suffers loss to George Mason on buzzer beater

By Michael Bagarella/DFP Staff

The Boston University men’s basketball team’s Thanksgiving break ended when it fell to George Mason University 48–45 on a buzzer beater Saturday night in Fairfax, Va.

The Terriers (0–5) entered the game looking for their first win of the season against a George Mason team (4–2) that is currently tied with Northeastern University for first place in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Prior to the game, BU coach Joe Jones stressed playing strong team defense. He told his team that if it held the strong George Mason team to 60 points, the Terriers would have a chance to pull out their first win of the season.

The Terriers played tremendous defense, holding the Patriots to their lowest point total of the season.

“We hadn’t been defending very well, but we really did a great job [against George Mason],” Jones said. “To hold that team under 40 percent on their floor was huge for us — a major step in the right direction.

“We played really hard and then it came down to the last few possessions and we didn’t do a great job putting the game away.”

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