In a roller coaster of a game, the Boston University men’s basketball team prevailed over Loyola University Maryland on Sunday in overtime, 82-79.
In their third consecutive win, the Terriers (13-16, 8-8 Patriot League) were led by freshman guard Kyrone Alexander’s career high 23 points, and some late game heroics from senior wing Anthony Morales.
Morales scored a go-ahead layup with 10 seconds left and Alexander blocked the ensuing game-tying layup on the other end to seal the overtime win for the Terriers.
“I knew I didn’t have a clear layup so I knew I had to use the backboard and the angles,” Morales said on his game-winning lay-up.
On the next possession, Morales flew down the court and blocked the attempt by Loyola to take the lead.
“Toward the end of games, usually teams will have their guard come straight down and have their big set a screen and just try to get downhill,” Morales said. “I was guarding the trailer who was at halfcourt, so I saw the guy picking up speed and I was just like I’m going to try to meet him at the rim.”
Prior to overtime, the Terriers had to navigate their way through an up-and-down game.
The Terriers ended the first half ahead by 14 points, holding onto a 43-29 lead.
In the second half, the momentum swung as Loyola (6-23, 4-12 Patriot League) refused to go away.
The Greyhounds started to move the ball more and heated up from beyond the arc shooting 7-11 from behind the arc in the second half. This second half surge from Loyola gave the Greyhounds a 61-55 lead with eight minutes left in the game.
BU swiftly responded, battling back and taking the lead late when Alexander scored an and-one layup with half a minute left.
Loyola tied it back up with an and-one of their own giving the Terriers an opportunity for a game winning shot with 16 seconds left.
Deep into the possession senior guard Miles Brewster found Kyrone Alexander again for a clutch catch-and-shoot three that gave Boston a 73-70 lead with only 1.6 seconds remaining.
A BU win seemed inevitable but the Greyhounds worked some magic, connecting on a near half-court three-pointer as time expired.
In overtime, the Terriers didn’t let the moment phase them as Alexander and Morales led the way on both ends as the Terriers squeaked out a three-point victory.
After the game, Alexander said some of his biggest strengths were “playing within the flow of the game.”
“I made a couple shots early so my confidence was high, but I think just taking what the defense gives me and scoring the ball when the opportunity comes,” Alexander said, accrediting the team’s “grit and confidence.”
“We were able to grind it out, even though they made a run we were able to withstand it,” Alexander said. “We made our run because we were confident in ourselves.”
BU head coach Joe Jones was impressed with the team and spoke to the overall spectacle of Sunday’s game.
“I think the competitive side and the entertainment side and just all the things you love about basketball. Just big shot after big shot,” Jones said.
Jones also spoke on how the team was able to stay so composed in the clutch of such an intense game.
“I thought the staff did a really good job of keeping the guys positive … and I thought our players did a good job of not allowing that to impact that last five-minute segment,” he said.
BU will now look to build on this big win and continue their winning streak on Wednesday at Lehigh at 6 p.m.
Great work! I really enjoyed this article and thought it portrayed the game so vividly. This writer is the next big thing!
Great article as always! Give this kid a raise!