Two of the nation’s best scorers top scorers took the court at Case Gymnasium Wednesday night and for the most part they didn’t dissapoint. Despite being hounded all night, Boston University’s Darryl Partin (27 points) and Delaware’s Devon Saddler (20 points) led their respective teams, with Partin getting the last laugh.
With the clock winding down and the game all but over, Partin intercepted a Blue Hens pass and floated in to hit a layup and put the exclamation point on the Terriers 73-67 victory. Partin hit 12-of-26 attempts from the field and added a team-high seven rebounds as Boston University extended it’s winning streak to three, after losing their first four contest.
Travis Robinson had a career day with 16 points, knocking down all five of his shots including four triples. Fellow sophomore D.J. Irving added eight points, a career-high 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Terriers.
Jamelle Higgins frustrated Boston University all day with his length finishing with 17 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and four steals. Higgins nearly led a late Blue Hens rally with a block and tip-in in the final minute to cut the Blue Hens deficit to three.
Delaware jumped out to a 19-15 lead in the first six minutes before Saddler was saddled with his second personal foul. With Saddler sitting for most of the next 14 minutes, Boston University slowly cut into the deficit and took a 33-32 lead on a Partin jumper with 5:32 remaining in the first half. Saddler quickly answered with a 3-pointer and Delaware took a 38-37 lead into half.
The second half was more of the same with seven lead changes and three ties and neither team leading by more than five until the final minutes. After Haggins dunked the ball on Saddler’s lone assist to give the Blue Hens their largest lead of the half (57-52), Boston University went on an 11-1 run to take a 63-58 lead. Boston University’s backcourt accounted for all the points on the run with freshmen Zach Chionuma scoring two of his four points to cap the run.
With the Terriers holding a slim 63-60 lead with 2:35 to play, Partin went on a mini 4-0 run behind a layup and a jumper to give Boston University its largest lead of the night (67-60). Despite Saddler and Haggins best efforts, the lead would be enough to give Joe Jones his first home win on Commonwealth Avenue.
Next up for the Terriers, a date with rival Boston College Saturday at 2 p.m. It will be the first time the Eagles and Terriers have played in basketball since 2004-05.