Feb. 9, 2008

Box Score

BOSTON - Behind sophomore guard Corey Lowe's (Newton, Mass.) 21 points and freshman guard/forward John Holland's (Bronx, N.Y.) double-double, the Boston University men's basketball team picked up its third consecutive win by defeating Stony Brook, 64-60, Saturday afternoon in Case Gym.

The Terriers (8-14, 5-5 America East) held the Seawolves (4-20, 1-10 AE) without a field goal for the final nine minutes of the first half to earn a lead BU wouldn't give up the rest of the way. Lowe received BU's America East Player of the Game honor, while Ricky Lucas earned Stony Brook's for a team-best 19 points.

"We started sluggishly but really picked it up in the middle of the first half," said head coach Dennis Wolff. "We played tough right up to the end. This was an important game for us, getting back to .500, [in the league] and we have three more big games coming up."

Holland put up 15 points and a career-best 14 rebounds for his second double-double of the year. Sophomore forward Scott Brittain (Oakville, Ont.) added seven points and 10 boards for the Terriers.

"John's ability to continually improve has been a key for us," noted Wolff. "The fact that he grabbed 14 rebounds as a wing player really says a lot for him."

The Seawolves hit three early 3-pointers and took a 17-8 lead at 11:59 in the first half on a layup by Demetrius Young. Stony Brook's advantage stayed at nine, 24-15, until 8:58 when the Terrier defense shut down Stony Brook. BU's Carlos Strong (Portland, Maine) converted on a three-point play and then laid the ball in on a fast break to inch the Terriers within one, 26-25. Holland hit a pair of free throws to cap a 12-2 run and send BU into the half up one, 27-26.

Stony Brook stayed close at the start of the second period, but red-shirt sophomore Tyler Morris (Indianapolis, Ind.) made back-to-back threes to push the Terriers' advantage to seven, 37-30, at 15:42. Another pair of triples, this time from Lowe and Holland, extended that lead to 10, 45-35, at 13:02.

The Seawolves wouldn't go away; however, trimming BU's cushion to one point, 49-48, on a three by Lucas at 8:12. SBU couldn't quite reach the Terriers despite keeping it within five points over the next four minutes. BU had a seven-point advantage with 3:28 remaining and that sustained the Terriers, who went 2-for-9 from the free throw line to close out the game.

BU returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 12 when the Terriers host Binghamton at 7 p.m.