The Boston University men’s basketball team opened up their 2022-2023 campaign with a 72-63 win over the Northeastern University Huskies at the Case Gym Monday.
Graduate student guard Walter Whyte was hot from behind the arc for the Terriers (1-0) and made five three-pointers in the first half. The Preseason Patriot League All-League Team player ultimately led the team with 27 points on Monday night.
“Walt was sensational tonight,” head coach Joe Jones said postgame. “He was outstanding. He played like a veteran player.”
Graduate student guard Jonas Harper followed up with a layup to extend the home team’s lead to five early in the first half.
A colossal block by Whyte later in the first half led to a layup by junior guard and forward Anthony Morales, which extended the BU lead to ten.
NEU junior guard Jahmyl Telfort led his team with 26 points. Jones had high praise for him after the game.
“He’s really hard to guard,” Jones said. “He’s just big and strong, and he can get the spots on the floor. He can post up. He can hurt you in a lot of different ways, really good player.”
NEU freshman guard Masai Troutman laid it in the basket to cut the BU lead to 23-20 with 7:23 to play in the first.
Then, with just under six minutes to play in the first, Troutman hit a three to tie the game.
Northeastern took their first lead off of two successful free throws from freshman center Collin Metcalf with nearly 5:30 to play in the half.
The teams traded baskets, but freshman forward Otto Landrum’s first points as a Terrier tied the game at 30 apiece with under three minutes to play.
Whyte returned the lead to the Terriers with a three and then slammed one down on the following possession to put BU up by five.
That lead would hold into halftime, and the Terriers led the Huskies 37-32.
Junior guard Caelan Jones hit three free throws to extend the lead to 46-40 with more than 13:30 to play in regulation. An 8-3 run for the Huskies put Northeastern within three with just over 13 minutes left on the clock.
Northeastern junior guard Glen McClintock tied the game with 8:45 to play on a three-pointer, but on the ensuing possession, Whyte dunked to return the lead to BU.
With 3:47 on the clock, Whyte hit a three to give the Terriers a 65-57 lead and with over two minutes left, Harper extended the BU lead to ten at the free-throw line.
That lead held to give the Terriers a 72-63 win in their season opener.
Despite the victory, Jones noted the importance of a focused mindset going into their next game against University of Connecticut.
“We got to get better,” Jones said. “We’re a veteran team. I would think they would realize that and come back on Wednesday ready to go and excited to play a top (ranked) team. That’s really exciting to be able to do that. We’ve had some success in the past playing major college teams. Let’s go see where we are.”
