Iona downs Terriers in opener

In BU coach Pat Chambers’ debut, the Boston University men’s basketball team fell short in its season opener Friday night at Iona College, 82-73.

Great anticipation set the stage for Chambers’ premiere and the Terriers’ (0-1) campaign to live up to its unanimous preseason selection as America East champions, but the Gaels (1-0) proved to be an early test on a difficult non-conference schedule.

‘Expectations were exactly what I thought with a new coach and a new team,’ Chambers said. ‘Going to Iona, we knew it was going to be a hostile environment and a tough place to play, and that’s what happened. My expectations were exactly what I thought. I didn’t expect us to come out and win by 20. I thought we’d win the game, but Iona played hard and did some really good things.’

The Gaels matched the Terriers’ tempo, going on a 13-1 run early in the first half and holding the visitors to a single point in the game’s final 3:42. Iona also capitalized on BU’s 22 turnovers, scoring 28 points.

‘I was happy with the pace of the game,’ Chambers said. ‘I’m not changing anything. We’ve got to value the ball a little bit better. Iona played great. They played hard and they sped us up and they caused turnovers. But we also caused some turnovers ourselves instead of taking a deep breath, exhaling, relaxing a little bit and looking at our reads.’

Concussions to senior captain Scott Brittain and freshman guard B.J. Bailey left BU with a short bench. Senior forward Valdas Sirutus logged 24 minutes and six rebounds, with sophomore center Jeff Pelage and senior guard Sherrod Smith also seeing time, but the bench was ultimately held scoreless. Foul trouble also doomed BU early as six players had at least four fouls by game’s end.

In the face of these obstacles, the Terriers showed tenacity and grit not seen in recent squads, closing deficits with accuracy behind the arc and at the foul line. Both teams registered 12 3-pointers, but BU outshot the hosts from the charity stripe at 67.9 percent against Iona’s 51.4 percent clip.

‘I thought we competed and I thought we never gave in,’ Chambers said. ‘That’s the one thing I was proud of ‘-‘- even though we lost, we battled back every time. We were down 13, tied it. We were down 10, tied it. There’s something to be said for that. With three minutes to go, we’re down four.

‘We were right there and we didn’t get the greatest whistles and some things went against us. We turned the ball over a little too much. But overall, we competed and we battled back. I don’t think this team is known for that, so I was excited about that progress.’

Perhaps the brightest spots for the Terriers were senior co-captains Carlos Strong and Tyler Morris, each in their first game back from season-ending injuries last year. Strong recorded his first career double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) while setting a career mark in boards to pace the team. Morris also had a career night, scoring a game-high 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting, showing shades of himself not seen since his America East Rookie of the Year season.

‘There was no question in my mind that Tyler was going to have a great game,’ Chambers said. ‘He deserves it. He plays hard and he works hard. Seeing him have 21 points is awesome. He wanted the ball against that pressure. He wanted to make plays. He wasn’t afraid of anything. He played with the ultimate confidence and clear head, and it was awesome to see.

‘I don’t think I’ve seen it since his freshman year. I’ve watched some tapes of his freshman year when he played with that type of swagger and confidence. We’ve got to keep that going.’

Senior captain Corey Lowe also filled the stat sheet, registering 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Junior forward John Holland added 16 points and sophomore forward Jake O’Brien registered seven points and two blocks but failed to attempt a 3-point shot for the first time in his career.

Despite the opening game setback, the Terriers have plenty of basketball ahead before America East play in January. The next challenge brings George Washington University to Agganis Arena Nov. 17. There is no timetable on Brittain’s return, and Bailey will be a game-time decision.

‘We’ll get there,’ Chambers said. ‘We’re going to get there. I’m very optimistic. I tell these guys to keep tapping at the stone. We’re going to keep tapping. That stone hasn’t broken yet, hasn’t busted open yet, but we have to keep tapping. They’ll know when it’s broken. Hopefully by Jan. 2 we’ll be ready to go.’