Men’s Basketball: Terriers Fall to Colgate in 87-50 Loss
Featured image by Troy Bolduc
By Samantha Genzer
Boston University Men’s Basketball (8-9, 2-2 PL) was overpowered by a dominant shooting performance from the Colgate Raiders (6-11, 3-1 PL), falling 87-50 on Saturday at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, New York.
The defeat snapped the Terriers’ two-game win streak and evened their Patriot League record at 2-2.
BU opened the game on a promising note. After Colgate’s senior guard Nicolas Louis-Jacques sank a three-pointer to start the scoring, senior forward Malcolm Chimezie responded with back-to-back layups to keep the Terriers competitive in the early moments.
However, Colgate’s fifth-year forward Jeff Woodward quickly responded with a layup and a pair of free throws, sparking a 23-5 Raiders run. That stretch, which included four three-pointers, gave Colgate a commanding lead they would never relinquish.
“On the defensive side, I thought we really struggled to guard,” said Head Coach Joe Jones. “On the offensive side, we were very stagnant [and] very slow right from the start of the game.”
Although BU junior forward Nico Nobili briefly halted the momentum with a dunk to cut the deficit to 16, Colgate entered halftime up 53-25 after shooting an efficient 63.3% from the field in the first half.
Sophomore guard Michael McNair, a consistent offensive leader for BU, recorded 12 points and tied his career-best streak of three consecutive double-digit scoring games.
McNair, who has made multiple three-pointers in 11 of his last 12 games, contributed a three-pointer and a layup in the second half as part of a brief Terrier run that cut the deficit to under 20 points.
Chimezie added 10 points and six rebounds, while sophomore guard Kyrone Alexander provided a spark on both ends of the court with solid defense and playmaking.
Despite these efforts, the Terriers were plagued by 19 turnovers, which Colgate converted into 25 points.
“When we struggled and they made shots, we kind of lost our composure,” Jones said. “I don’t think we showed who we are as a team.”
Woodward led Colgate with 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds, while the Raiders showcased their depth with five players scoring in double figures. Louis-Jacques and senior guard Chandler Baker each added 11 points, and Colgate shot 48.1% from beyond the arc, making 13 three-pointers.
The loss marks the sixth consecutive defeat for BU against the Raiders, who have solidified themselves as one of the Terriers’ toughest Patriot League rivals.
“This is all about trying to grow as a program,” Jones said. “We just didn’t really play our game, and we need better leadership.”
The Terriers will look to rebound as they go up against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Jan. 15 in Case Gym, with tipoff set for 6 p.m. and streaming available on ESPN+.