| Terriers Outlast Morehead State, 91-89, in Overtime to Advance to CBI Semifinals
BU overcomes slow start to earn win in first-ever home postseason game
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BOSTON – Paced by three players with 20 or more points, the Boston University men's basketball team posted a thrilling 91-89 overtime victory against Morehead State in the quarterfinal round of the College Basketball Invitational on Monday evening at Case Gym.
BU (21-13) never trailed after taking a 38-37 lead into the break, pushing its one-point halftime lead to as much as 11 at 68-57. The Eagles, however, clawed their way back and tied the game with 28 seconds left in regulation on a pair of free throws.
After coming up short on three chances at a game-winner in the final 10 seconds of regulation, BU scored the first five points of overtime and Morehead was never able to draw even the rest of the way.
Junior John Holland led the Terriers with 23 points, while senior Carlos Strong and sophomore Jake O'Brien added 22 and 20 points, respectively. Senior Tyler Morris tied the school record for steals in a game with eight - including six in the first half alone - and matched career highs in both rebounds (7) and assists (7) while chipping in 16 points. O'Brien registered his seventh double-double of the season with a team-best 10 boards.
Morehead (24-11) was led by a game-high 27 points from senior Maze Stallworth, who went 8-for-13 from 3-point range. Sophomore Terrance Hill scored 21 points and junior Kenneth Faried posted a double-double with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Eagles scored the first eight points of the game and matched the largest lead for either team at 20-9 on a 3-pointer by Stallworth with 9:14 left in the first half.
After missing their first nine shots of the game, the Terriers settled down and embarked on a 24-9 run over a seven-minute span to take a 33-29 advantage before settling for the 38-37 halftime lead.
O'Brien and Stallworth each led their respective teams with 12 points at the half. Stallworth connected on all four of his first-half 3-point attempts.
The win marked BU's largest comeback victory of this season, recovering from the 11-point first-half deficit after coming back from 10 points down on two occasions earlier in the year.
BU will find out its opponent in the CBI semifinal round later tonight following the completion of quarterfinal play.
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