Boston University labored too exhausting down the stretch to earn the No. 2 seed within the Patriot League playoffs solely to offer it away within the quarterfinals.
The Terriers compiled a staff effort in all classes to outlast No. 7 seed Navy 70-61 in a spirited spherical and tumble encounter on Thursday night time underneath The Roof at Case Gym
The Terriers (16-16, 11-8) superior to the Patriot League semifinals for the sixth time and can host No. 6 Lehigh on Sunday afternoon (4) at Case Gym. BU swept Lehigh within the common season, however the two video games had been determined by three factors.
“I looking forward to another war, an absolute war,” mentioned BU coach Joe Jones, who’s in his thirteenth season. “They might be prepared, they’ve expertise, and so they have arguably two of one of the best guards.
“We will have our hands full and it will be a great contest and a great semifinal game.”
Anthony Morales led a balanced BU assault with 17 factors whereas the staff accounted for 39 rebound, 15 assists and 32 bench factors. Dynamic level guard Austin Benigni led Navy with 22 factors, 10 from the free throw line. BC restricted Navy to 4-of-24 from behind the arc whereas making seven.
“I thought that this was one of our most balanced games in terms of contributions we got down the line from all the guys,” mentioned Jones.
BU crashed the PL match driving a five-game win streak for the primary time since 2011 when, as a No. 2 seed, it went on to seize the America East title. One of the 5 victories was a 75-64 win over Navy at house on Feb. 17. But the Midshipmen had additionally received 5 straight matches since that included a 64-48 trouncing of Maryland Loyola in a match play-in recreation on Tuesday.
“The younger guys know that now they belong, especially after we won five straight games,” mentioned Morales, a senior ahead from Boston. “For a young player that is very fulfilling. But me and Miles (Brewster) enforced to the guys we are the two seed but the two seed don’t get you an automatic win even at home.”
Both groups scored on their opening possessions, however the gunners fell silent over a four-minute stretch with BU going 1-8 and Navy 1-7 from the ground. The rating was tied 2-2 on the first media timeout.
BU emerged from the break and went on a 14-4 run to go up 16-6 with 10:53 to play within the half. Morales and Brewster had been good from downtown and Landrum closed the surge with a layup off the glass.
Benigni and Jordan Pennick bought the stagnant Midshipmen shifting, however BU countered each surge to go up 27-17 into the third media timeout. Brewster went showtime throughout the run with a rambunctious jam off a turnover and a falling down 3-point shot from the highest of the important thing. Navy outscored BU 10-6 down the stretch to chop the Terriers’ result in 33-27 on the break.
“They went on a hot streak, we went on hot streak but we clearly picked up our defense,” mentioned Morales. “At the end of the day it was two teams that had grown defensively, especially at the beginning of the game when you have all that energy.”
BU maintained its slim first half lead by way of the opening 9 minutes of the second. Morales and Kyrone Alexander saved the BU machine operational whereas Navy’s Benigni and Mac MacDonald restricted the injury. BU led 58-49 on the third media timeout.
BU went up 65-53 on two from the road by Brewster with 3:03 to play. Morales put it away with two free throws with 22.1 seconds to play.
Source: www.bostonherald.com