Members of the Boston University men's basketball bench jump up in celebration following a play.
Miguel Angel Lopez Rojas

Terriers Set to Battle Top-Seed Colgate in PL Final Wednesday Night on CBS Sports Network

March 10, 2020

GAME #34 INFORMATION
2020 Patriot League Title Game
Teams: #3 BU (20-13, 12-6 PL) at #1 Colgate (25-8, 14-4 PL)
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 11 | 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Hamilton, N.Y. | Cotterell Court
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMBB

HAMILTON, N.Y. – Making its fourth appearance on the CBS Sports Network this season, the No. 3 seeded Boston University men's basketball team will battle top-seed Colgate in the Patriot League title game with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m. at Cotterell Court.

The Terriers reached their first PL final since 2014 by claiming home wins against No. 6 Navy (69-63) and No. 7 Bucknell (64-61), while the defending champion Raiders posted home wins against No. 8 Lehigh (83-70) and No. 5 Lafayette (89-64). The matchup will mark the first-ever title game meeting between BU and Colgate after the Terriers won a 1990 North Atlantic Conference semifinal contest and the Raiders prevailed at home in the 2019 PL quarterfinals.

TERRIER TIDBITS
  • BU is making its 17th overall appearance in a conference final with a 6-10 record, last winning in 2011 as a member of the America East ... The Terriers last reached the final as a No. 3 seed in 1987 and will try to become the first No. 3 seed in PL history to claim the automatic NCAA berth.
  • All three All-PL honorees on the team have played a key role in the team's successful postseason run so far that has seen BU reach 20+ wins for the first time since 2013-14 (24-11).
  • On Sunday, senior and All-PL First Team member Max Mahoney (15.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.5 apg) became the fourth Terrier in program history to reach 1,500 points and 700 rebounds ... He is averaging 13.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg in the PL tournament so far.
  • Sophomore Walter Whyte (13.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg) has posted a double-double in both games, averaging 17.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg while shooting an impressive 63.6 FG%.
  • Junior Javante McCoy (12.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg) tied a personal best on Sunday against Bucknell with eight assists while adding 12 points ... He posted 15 of his 19 points in the second half to help BU rally from an early 12-point deficit to defeat Navy.
  • The Terriers are averaging 71.1 ppg and 46.0 FG% while holding opponents to 66.9 ppg and 43.9 FG% ... They are 18-1 this season when finishing with a higher FG%.
  • BU earned its first three-game sweep since 2014 with Sunday's win over Bucknell and will now try to avoid a similar fate against Colgate for the first time since falling at Vermont in the 2010 America East title game.
SCOUTING COLGATE
  • The Raiders are an impressive 15-1 at home this season and have won six straight since dropping an 80-78 decision back on Jan. 29 ... Last season, Colgate went an identical 15-1 at home with a 94-80 title game win over Bucknell and 81-69 quarterfinal victory over BU after the Terriers pulled out a 76-68 win during the regular season.
  • All five Colgate starters are averaging double figures with All-PL First Team member Jordan Burns leading the way at 15.7 ppg, 4.5 apg and 1.7 spg.
  • 2019 PL Player of the Year Rapolas Ivanauskas is averaging 13.1ppg and 7.5 rpg with 2020 All-PL First Team member Will Rayman at 12.8 ppg and 8.9 rpg ... 2019 PL Rookie of the Year Tucker Richardson is averaging 10.5 ppg and 4.7 rpg while shooting 42 percent in 3-point territory.
  • Colgate is averaging 10.2 made 3-pointers while holding opponents to 30.7 3FG%.
  • Overall, the Raiders are averaging 76.6 ppg and 45.1 FG% while holding opponents to 68.2 ppg and 43.3 FG%.  
SERIES HISTORY
  • The Terriers lead the all-time series, 28-24, dating back to 1933-34 following a 79-70 road loss and 79-63 home defeat.
  • In the last trip to Cotterell Court, BU overcame an early 11-point deficit to tie the game, 38-38, in the second half and later cut a 12-point deficit to three (67-64) at 4:44.
  • With Mahoney limited to just 10 minutes, sophomore Jack Hemphill stepped up with his second career double-double (12 pts., 10 rebs.), but Rayman had 21 pts. and 13 rebs. for the Raiders.
  • In the rematch, BU only trailed by five with 7:21 left befure suffering its first double-digit loss since Nov. 26 ... McCoy led all players with 18 points, but the Terriers were held to just 34.4 FG% in the second half and 4-for-21 (.190) from behind the arc while the Raiders went 9-for-18 (.500). 
  • Last season, both road teams won during the regular season but Colgate had the last word, overcoming a 12-point deficit early in the second half to eliminate BU in the PL quarterfinals, 81-69 ... In its 76-68 road victory, BU shot 50.9 FG% and committed just six turnovers ... In the quarterfinal loss, the Terriers shot 49.1 FG% but had 20 turnovers that led to 30 Colgate points.
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