Freshman guard Chaz Carr scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds as Boston University beat the State University of New York at Albany, 64-49, last night at the Recreation and Convocation Center in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
The Terriers (12-7, 6-1 America East) started the game on an 8-0 run as Albany missed its first nine shots before scoring its first field goal more than five minutes into the contest. The lead grew to 29-12 when Carr converted a three-point play after being fouled on a layup. Although the Great Danes scored the last nine points of the first half, BU held a 29-21 lead at the break. Albany received solid play from junior guard Antione Johnson who scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half.
BU’s lead shrunk to 30-23 at the beginning of the second half when Karim Ouattara made a putback off an Albany missed shot. But the Terriers had an answer, as sophomore guard Kevin Fitzgerald drove to the hoop and pushed the lead back to double figures. Junior forward Billy Collins then made a three-pointer and Carr hit a jumper to cap an 11-0 BU run, giving the Terriers a 41-23 lead with 14:34 left.
After a pair of Johnson free throws for the Great Danes, Albany closed the gap to 49-40, but that was as close as they would come. A stifling Terrier full-court press allowed BU to score 13 of the next 14 points to put the game out of reach.
BU has now won five games in row for the first time in more than four years.
The Terriers’ top ranked defense in America East held Albany to 33.3 percent shooting, and allowed the Great Danes to take just seven free throw attempts in the game. Johnson led Albany with 15 points on six of 16 shooting, adding a team-high seven rebounds. Will Brand also scored 13 points, had four rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes.
Sophomore forward Ryan Butt and junior forward Billy Collins were the only other players in double figures for the Terriers, scoring 10 points each. Collins also had seven boards. Carr’s night included going 5-for-10 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line in 31 minutes. He also had three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
BU held on to second place in America East with the win, improving its conference record to 6-1. The University of Vermont (15-4, 8-1 America East) holds a two-game lead over the Terriers in league play with its win over SUNY-Stony Brook Thursday night.
The Terrier’s next game is Saturday, when it travels to SUNY-Binghamton for an afternoon matchup with the Bearcats (7-11, 4-4 America East). In the midst of playing five of six away from home, the Terriers return to Case Gymnasium on Tuesday for a game against the University of Hartford, before heading back on the road for two America East conference games.
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