BOSTON – In a thrilling quarterfinal matchup in the Patriot League tournament, the No. 4-seeded Boston University men’s basketball team fell to No. 5 Navy, 86-78. Miles Brewster, a graduate student, led BU with 19 points, while sophomore Kyrone Alexander added 16 points. The game took place at Case Gym on Thursday evening.
BU (16-16, 10-8 PL) responded well after Navy’s strong start, which included a 15-4 run in the first seven and a half minutes. The Terriers managed to narrow the gap to just two possessions, reaching an 82-78 score with 19 seconds left on the clock. Unfortunately, Navy’s impressive shooting—60% from the field—and a significant 22-9 free throw advantage in the second half sealed BU’s fate.
Brewster, recognized as an All-PL Third Team player, shot 7-for-13 overall and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Alexander was close to a double-double, grabbing seven rebounds. Malcolm Chimezie and freshman Ben Defty contributed 12 points each, while sophomore Michael McNair scored 10 points.
Navy’s Austin Benigni stole the show with 30 points, making 14 of 16 free throws and adding six assists. Donovan Draper had a solid game with 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Aidan Kehoe also made a mark, scoring 14 points and recording seven rebounds and two blocks.
How the Game Unfolded
- Brewster set the tone early with a layup, followed by Chimezie’s hook shot to put BU ahead 4-2. But Navy quickly answered with a 13-point streak, led by back-to-back 3-pointers from Lysander Rehnstrom.
- With an 11-point hole at 12:35 left in the half, BU fought back, going on an 8-0 run capped by Defty’s free throw at 9:32.
- Shortly after, Alexander’s jumper brought BU within two, 21-19, but Navy responded effectively every time.
- Brewster hit a deep shot just before halftime to leave the score at 32-26.
- Navy began the second half strong, quickly establishing a 12-point lead at 15:04.
- The two teams exchanged baskets throughout the second half, with neither team able to create a significant lead.
- BU found themselves trailing 69-58 with just over four minutes left. Defty made a critical three-point play, followed by a putback from Chimezie, pulling BU within six.
- Navy, however, responded with points from the free throw line, closing out the game effectively and securing their spot in the semifinals against top-seeded Bucknell.
Game Insights
- Brewster’s 19 points were tied for his second-best of the season, and he has shot 8-for-15 from three in the last three games.
- This match ended BU’s impressive 11-game home winning streak, the longest in nearly three decades.
- The game saw a combined 106 points scored in the second half alone, compared to just 58 in the first. Navy’s second-half dominance included 22 points from free throws after a quiet first half.
- Despite a strong shooting night (over 50%), BU struggled when opponents matched or exceeded this performance, finishing 5-2 in those games.
- Navy outperformed BU in capitalizing on turnovers, scoring 27 points to BU’s 8, and had a slight edge in second-chance points.
- In their recent tournament history, this match marked a 2-2 tie between BU and Navy, with BU maintaining a slight overall lead in their series at 15-13.
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