Jan. 26, 2008

Box Score | Watch

DURHAM, N.H. - Sophomore Aly Hinton's layup with one second on the clock lifted the Boston University women's basketball team over UNH, 77-75, on Saturday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium. Hinton scored four points in the final 33 seconds of the game to help the Terriers earn the come-from-behind victory. BU improves to 10-8 overall and 3-2 in the America East, while UNH falls to 3-14 overall and 0-4 in league action.

The Terriers were down by as many as 11 late in the second half, however, a resilient BU side chipped away at the Wildcats lead and with under a minute to go both teams traded baskets to move the score to 75-75. A UNH turnover at mid-court with 25 seconds remaining gave BU the opportunity for the last play of the game and it seized on it. Hinton's initial shot was blocked by Ashley Cerniglia, however, the sophomore forward collected the rebound and put it back in for the game-winning shot. Hinton was clutch in the final minute posting four points to help lift the Terriers over UNH.

BU featured three players in double figures as junior Jesyka Burks-Wiley led with a team-high 19 points, followed by junior Kristi Dini with 14 and junior Amarachi Umez-Eronini with 10. BU's bench out-scored UNH's by a 27-12 margin and held a 15-7 advantage in points off turnovers.

BU was held scoreless for the first 2:45, after UNH jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. However, Burks-Wiley ended the scoring drought with a jumper at 17:15, putting the Terriers on the scoreboard. BU knotted the score for the first time in the game, 13-13, on senior Corinne Jean's trey from the corner at 12:25. At 6:54, Burks-Wiley gave the Terriers their first lead of the game on a layup and made it a four-point lead, 24-20, at 5:43.

After enjoying a brief five-point advantage, the Terriers fell behind, as clutch free-throw shooting in the final three minutes of the stanza put the Wildcats back on top, 35-29, at the break. BU shot 38.5 percent (10-for-26) in the first half and was lead by Burks-Wiley with 10 points. At halftime, the Wildcats held the 28-12 advantage in rebounds, while going a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.

To start the second frame, BU closed the gap quickly, as senior Kasey Devine posted four points, senior Cheri Raffo nailed a trey and junior Christine Kinneary netted a second-chance basket on a missed free throw. However, UNH's Ashley Cerniglia had the hot hand from the arc, sinking three within the first four minutes of the stanza to put UNH back on top, 46-41.

The Wildcats went up by 10 when Denise Beliveau put up two on the scoreboard to move the score to 53-43. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Dini cut the deficit from 11 to five within just 45 seconds, as BU clawed its way back into the game, 58-53.

With 6:38 remaining in regulation, BU made it a two-possession game again, following three made free from Burks-Wiley and Devine. Burks-Wiley brought the Terriers to within just two points on a layup at 4:36 and Kinneary knotted the score, 71-71, a minute later on a jumper just inside the arc.

With under a minute to go both teams traded baskets and with 25 left on the clock UNH committed a turnover at mid-court that gave BU the ball and the opportunity for the last play of the game. Hinton attempted a shot right under the basket, which Cerniglia blocked, however, she collected the rebounds and sunk the game-winning shot with one second left to earn the come-from-behind win.

BU will host UMBC on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 7:00 p.m.