Boston U. Dashes Ahead in Thrilling First Half to Overcome Lehigh 63-58

BOSTON – Senior guard Tyler Whitney-Sidney registered a game-high 20 points in his homecoming to Massachusetts, and the Mountain Hawks connected on 60% of their attempts from the field in the second half, but it was insufficient to defeat the Boston University Terriers, who triumphed over Lehigh with a final score of 63-58 on Wednesday evening.

“They converted their shots while we failed to convert ours,” remarked head coach Dr. Brett Reed. “They delivered some crucial plays. They were able to capitalize at moments we couldn’t, but our players fought hard. We gained a tremendous lift from our bench, which was a significant positive for us. The players kept persevering and striving to get back into the game.”

Boston U. (9-9, 3-2 PL) now possesses a 16-10 historical record against Lehigh (6-10, 1-4 PL), with the Terriers having emerged victorious in seven of their last ten encounters against the Mountain Hawks. Wednesday’s contest served as a rematch of last season’s Patriot League semifinal where a 30-point effort from Cam Gillus propelled Lehigh past BU 84-79 in overtime.

Lehigh’s offense faced challenges in scoring during the initial period, achieving only 30.8% (8-26) shooting and 7.1% (1-14) accuracy from beyond the arc in the first half. Conversely, BU began the match on a strong note, seizing an 18-point lead with 61.1% shooting in the opening 13 minutes. Lehigh eventually found their rhythm offensively in the last five minutes, highlighted by an Edouard Benoit four-point play that reduced the Terrier advantage to ten. BU’s Kyrone Alexander subdued the momentum with a personal 5-0 run in the final moments to allow his team to head into halftime with a 33-20 lead.

The Mountain Hawks discovered a revived offensive presence in the second half, demonstrating a significantly better shooting percentage. Lehigh diligently chipped away at the BU lead, narrowing the deficit to single-digits on several occasions. Whitney-Sidney was key, scoring 14 of his 20 points during the second half. The Mountain Hawks captured their first lead of the match with 5:43 remaining, courtesy of a Whitney-Sidney layup, which was succeeded by four lead changes over the next two and a half minutes. Following Alfredo Addesa sinking his first career three-pointer to take a 55-54 lead, the Terriers responded with seven consecutive points, reclaiming the lead for good.

Lehigh and BU had near-identical shooting percentages, as the Mountain Hawks finished at 45.1% (23-51) compared to the Terriers’ 46.0% (23-50). BU had the edge from three-point range, converting at 37.5% (9-24) to Lehigh’s 17.4% (4-23). The Terriers also dominated the rebound tally, 35-24, but were outscored 32-24 in the paint by the Mountain Hawks.

Whitney-Sidney recorded his fourth game exceeding 20 points this season, tallying 20 points on 8-15 shooting along with a team-high four assists. The Somerville, Massachusetts native was bolstered by a large gathering of family and friends throughout the game, situated behind the Lehigh bench.

“I thought [Tyler] performed excellently for us,” Reed stated. “That comeback demanded a significant amount of energy, and he spearheaded the effort. He was vocal with our teammates, particularly guiding some of the younger players. I’m proud of him not just for his performance, but for leading in the right manner. It’s wonderful that he can excel in front of those who care about him.”

Sophomore Nasir Whitlock contributed 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Whitlock has now registered double-digit scoring in four of Lehigh’s five Patriot League games.

Benoit was the third Mountain Hawk to reach double-digits, scoring 10 points on a commendable 4-5 from the floor. His fellow classmate Addesa also made an impact from the bench, contributing a career-high six points and six rebounds in a career-best 16 minutes of play.

“Both [Edouard and Alfredo] needed to step up offensively for us,” Reed emphasized. “Not only did Alfredo score, but his rebounding was also invaluable. Edouard is an emerging scoring threat; he’s learning to navigate this game, and today was a fantastic positive development for him.”

Alexander led the Terriers with 18 points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block. He was joined in double-digit scoring by Michael McNair (15 points) and Miles Brewster (11 points).

Lehigh will return home on Saturday, January 18, to wrap up their season series against Loyola Maryland. The matchup is scheduled to commence at 2 p.m. and is sponsored by RichMar Florist.

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