Brian Lillis' Double-Double Leads UAlbany Past Boston University 70-63

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Boston, Mass - Brian Lillis had 27 points and 12 rebounds in leading UAlbany to a 70-63 victory over Boston University in America East Conference play on Wednesday evening at Case Gymnasium. The Great Danes posted their second straight road win.
Boston U. (4-12, AE 1-3) rallied from a 17-point first-half deficit to close within 38-37 on Valdas Sirutis' three-point shot from the left wing. UAlbany (8-9, AE 3-2) responded with 13 of the game's next 17 points. Jon Iati ignited that stretch with a 3-pointer. Brent Wilson, who had 12 points, later scored on a follow shot, before Brett Gifford added another offense rebound basket for a 51-41 lead midway through the period.

The Terriers would cut that margin in half when Tyler Morris made a 3-pointer from the right side that brought his team within 60-55. Lillis then drained four consecutive free throws for a nine-point lead with 2:10 remaining. But Boston U. came up with a pair of steals in making another run. Freshman John Holland, who scored 19, converted a three-point play after the second theft. However, Lillis, who made 15-of-16 from line, made five more from the charity stripe in the final minute to seal the verdict. Corey Lowe, one of the league's top scorers, led the Terriers with 20 points, including five 3-pointers. Morris finished with 11. Brian Connelly added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Great Danes, who shot a season-best 54.5 percent from the floor.

"Brian Lillis took this team on his back tonight,” said UAlbany head coach Will Brown, whose team has won three of its last four games. “He is certainly the most valuable player in this conference. We made some mistakes at the end of the first half after we got the 17-point lead, but we still overcame that. BU is hard to guard because they stretch the defense. I think Corey Lowe is going to make every shot."

The Great Danes tallied the opening nine points. Wilson, who went scoreless in his last outing, hit a jump hook and canned a three-point field goal in that stretch. Wilson, a 6'8" senior, would later drill another long-range jumper for an 18-6 lead.

UAlbany held a 10-point margin five minutes later, but then ran off seven consecutive points. Lillis, who had 14 in the period, sank a pair of free throws before Rob Moores made a 3-pointer from the left wing for a 31-14 advantage. The Terriers sliced that lead in half by the break, as Lowe nailed a deep triple and made two free throws in the final 30 seconds of the stanza.

"We played with confidence and a sense of urgency,” said Lillis, who recorded his fourth career double-double and is averaging nearly 23 points per game in conference play. “Any win is significant, especially one on the road. It is great to see your teammates happy when you come in the locker room. We were letting our offense affect our defense earlier, now it is the other way around."