After finding themselves in another early deficit, the Boston University women’s basketball team edged out Loyola Maryland in the final seconds to grab a 41-39 win.
The Greyhounds (5-15, 2-7 PL) led 11-7 after the first quarter, but the Terriers (10-10, 5-4 PL) regained the lead by the end of the second period. BU held a close lead for the majority of the second half. With one second remaining in the game, Loyola guard Stephanie Karcz made a layup to bring the score to 40-39, but junior point guard Katie Nelson put the game away on a made free throw.
Made shots were a rarity throughout the entire matchup. The Terriers scored on 34.9 percent of their field goals, while the Greyhounds made only 33.3 percent. Neither team found their stroke from beyond the arc either, and they combined to go 3-of-22 on three-pointers.
Although the contest was low-scoring, sophomore forward Riley Childs and freshman guard Maggie Pina provided all the offensive punch that BU needed. Childs scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Pina struggled from deep, but still managed 10 points and three assists.
Freshman forward Maren Durant was also helpful in the frontcourt. Durant has been asked to play more quality minutes in the paint due to senior center Nia Irving’s injury issues, and she stepped up once again with eight points and 10 rebounds. Durant was also a key presence on the defensive end, where she blocked three shots.
Katie Nelson was another essential piece of BU’s defensive effort. She grabbed four steals, a season-high for her in that category.
Freshman guard Sydney Johnson added two steals as well. Johnson has stolen the ball at least twice in eight of BU’s 20 games.
There were plenty of opportunities for each team to get steals. Both squads had trouble taking care of the ball, with the Terriers committing 21 turnovers and the Greyhounds relinquishing 18 of their own.
Loyola’s leading scorer Stephanie Karcz might have gotten closer to her season-high of 24 points if she had not been plagued with turnover problems all night long. Karcz committed five turnovers, putting a damper on her 16-point performance. Hannah Niles was the Greyhounds’ other top scorer with six points, but she too gave the ball away five times.
The Terriers are now 2-0 against Loyola in the regular season, with both matchups decided by two points. BU’s next conference opponent Bucknell will pose much more of a threat on both ends of the floor. The Bison lead the Patriot League with an 8-1 conference record and are coming off a 77-46 home win against Army. Bucknell and BU square off at Case Gym on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
WTBU Sports 