Box Score

BOSTON – Colgate's back-to-back midweek Massachusetts road trips nearly produced quite a seven-day turnaround.

But Boston University turned on the second-half shooting touch to claim a 72-68 victory over Colgate here Wednesday night. It was Colgate's fifth Patriot League loss by 10 points or less and their closest setback of the season.

One week earlier, the Raiders were 23-point victims at Holy Cross in nearby Worcester.

"I feel a lot differently this Wednesday than I did last Wednesday," Colgate head coach Nicci Hays Fort said. "We had great effort, we had great energy – we did some really great things tonight.

"I challenged our team to get 20 offensive rebounds, and we got 22. That's a huge number. Carole (Harris) on the boards, Lauryn (Kobiela) and Randyll (Butler) attacking so well, Kelly (Reid) establishing a postup game, and we kept our turnovers to nine."

But all that couldn't prevent the Terriers from starting the second half 12-of-18 from the field. Add in a pair of huge 3-pointers from Clodagh Scannell to end the first half – giving the hosts a 30-27 lead – and Boston University shot 70 percent during the game's deciding portion.

Scannell finished with 21 points to go with a game-high 25 from Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Rashidat Agboola.

"We let their shooters get a little free," Hays Fort said. "The two right at the end of the half, those were the ones that really got us. We were doing such a great job and we had the lead for just about the entire half until she makes those two.

"She had a great game, as did 22 (Agboola)."

9-0 Run Erases Early Deficit
Colgate made just one of its first nine field goal attempts to start the game but then reeled off nine straight points for an 11-5 advantage with 14:23 showing. Lauryn Kobiela (five) and Kelly Reid (four) shared the scoring honors during that stretch, and Kobiela was just getting started.

The senior captain had nine of her team-high 20 by halftime as she tried to keep Colgate in front.

"It was just like normal in that when I'm shooting well, I try to keep shooting," Kobiela said. "When I start missing, that's when I want to get my teammates involved."

Kobiela didn't miss much, reaching 20 points for the third time this season and the first time since scoring 23 in a Dec. 4 win over Drexel. She added four assists and now has 335 for her career – six shy of fifth place in the Colgate records book.

"When she's attacking like that, Lauryn is hard to stop," Hays Fort said. "She plays the way we want to play, at such a high speed. She was pushing tempo for us so fast."

Carole Harris scored for the Raiders to open the second half, but then the BU shooters took over and stretched the Terriers' lead to 51-38 with 11:20 remaining. It was still 59-46 with 8:47 to play when Colgate began making a dent.

The Raiders entered the game second in the Patriot League in steals and they instituted a full-court press that produced seven of their eight pilfers in the second half.

"We made up that press during a timeout – right there in the huddle, we just made it up – and they did it," Hays Fort said. "That's what I'm talking about; those are good things. I keep telling our team that we have to keep building on this."

Harris and Kobiela kept converting and Randyll Butler starting driving to the hoop. The sophomore guard nearly turned in her second double-double of the season, finishing with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Another 9-0 Run Pulls Raiders Close
Colgate used a 9-0 run to cut it to 59-55 with 5:20 remaining, only to see Boston University push the lead back to seven. The Raiders pulled within four on five more occasions but never could get any closer.

"It was tough because they were making every shot, especially to start the second half," Kobiela said. "We just didn't close out hard enough."

Harris finished with a career-high 14 rebounds to go with 14 points for her fourth double-double this season. And Butler's rebounding total matched her career high.

Wednesday's loss was Colgate's first on the road this season when scoring at least 68 points. The Raiders had been 3-0, with wins at Saint Francis (Pa.), Columbia and Robert Morris. Colgate also was attempting to sweep a Patriot League opponent for the first time since Lafayette in 2009-10.

The Raiders defeated Boston University 81-64 back on Jan. 15 in Hamilton.

"We have to build on this now," Hays Fort said. "We have to make sure we keep getting better and take in all the positives, like scoring 68 on the road and shooting more free throws than the other team. We're going to hit threes; I'm not worried about that. We're going to make shots.

"I've got some disappointed people right now, but I'm just trying to get them to see the positives."

Other scorers for Colgate were Reid and Josie Stockill with seven apiece, Mariah Jones six, Catherine Lewis three and Missy Repoli two.

Pink Game Saturday
Colgate finished 25-of-72 from the field for 34.7 percent. The Raiders were 4-of-18 from the arc and 14-of-20 at the line. Boston University was 25-of-61 from the floor for 41 percent. The Terriers were 9-of-27 from downtown and 13-of-17 from the line, including 11-of-14 the second half.

Colgate claimed the rebounding category, 49-38, and committed just nine turnovers to 12 for the hosts.

The Raiders dropped to 5-19 overall and 1-12 in the Patriot League, while Boston University improved to 10-16 and 5-8.

Next for the Raiders are consecutive home dates against Navy and Army. Saturday's game against Navy tips at 4 p.m., and it's Colgate's annual Pink Breast Cancer Awareness/National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

"Navy is tough but they are not unbeatable," Hays Fort said. "We've had some good practices lately, so we need to keep that going leading up to Navy and leading up to Army. That's why we had confidence today, because we've had good practices."