Conference-Leader Holds Off Men's Basketball, 77-67

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Boston, Mass. -- Corey Lowe had 27 points and John Holland added 25 as Boston University held off UAlbany, 77-67, in America East Conference play on Thursday, Feb. 5 at Agganis Arena. The Terriers, who extended their winning streak to seven straight games, avenged a one-point loss to the visitors in the first meeting of the season.

Boston U. (13-9, AE 8-2) reversed an early 8-7 deficit with eight unanswered. Jake O’Brien, one of three BU players in double figures with 10 points, canned a three-point field goal to put his team ahead. Lowe, who did not play in the first matchup between these teams due to a suspension, then drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing and made a baseline jumper.

The Terriers, who shot 53.6 percent in the period, including 8-of-16 from beyond the arc, later built a 29-16 advantage. Lowe, who added seven rebounds and seven assists, made another long-range jumper from the left side off an inbounds pass.

Holland, a 6’5’ sophomore who is the conference’s third-leading scorer, then went to work by connecting on a 3-point shot and converting a three-point play when he was fouled on a fastbreak layup. Holland, a third-team all-conference selection as a freshman, finished with 20 of his final scoring total at the intermission.

UAlbany (13-9, AE 5-4) would whittle away at the Terriers’ 12-point halftime margin. Will Harris, who scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds, delivered a 3-pointer from the right wing that cut the lead to 61-58 with 5:46 remaining. But O’Brien answered with a long-range shot on his team’s next possession and Matt Wolff later split a pair of free throws as their squad pushed out to a 68-60 cushion.

The Great Danes, who were playing for the first time in eight days, made one more run. Tim Ambrose sank a three-pointer from right of the key and Anthony Raffa hit a jumper in the lane. However, Lowe made two from the line and Holland broke out of the pack to send home a slam dunk for a 72-65 lead. The Terriers, who are in sole possession of first place in the conference standings, used the charity stripe to stay ahead.

“We had no sense of urgency in the first half,” said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose club had won its previous two outings. “We did some good things in the second half, but then we were too impatient and a couple of turnovers hurt us at the wrong time.”

UAlbany’s Brian Connelly, a 6-foot-8 senior, recorded his second career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Raffa and Ambrose had nine and seven points, respectively. Harris, who connected on 12-of-27 from the floor, has scored in twin figures in nine straight contests.

“We used some junk defenses, mostly triangle-and-two, in the second half,” Brown explained. “Lowe hit some big-time shots and Holland is the leading candidate for player of the year. The time off coupled with a team that is playing the best basketball in the league was a bad combination for us.”