HAMILTON – Better get these Raiders while you can.
 
Colgate played first-place Boston University to a draw over the final three quarters before dropping a 62-58 decision Sunday afternoon on Cotterell Court. It was quite a turnaround from Saturday, when BU walked away with a 79-51 victory that didn't seem as close as the final score indicated.
 
Boston is now 4-0 on the young season and two games clear of the competition in the Patriot League's North Mini-Conference. The Raiders are 1-3.
 
But the future is bright for a Colgate side that lost four to graduation after last season and another four who would be starting this season because of injuries.
 
So it really wasn't surprising to see one sophomore and four first-years on the court for the Raiders over the final 5:54 of a tight ballgame. The score at that point was 53-44 BU, and the Terriers made it 55-44 seconds later when Emily Esposito sank a turnaround jumper in the paint to conclude an 11-2 run.
 
But Colgate's closing five of sophomore Alexa Brodie and first-years Tiasia McMillan, Lindsay Blackmore, Ariel Loiter and Morgan Frank quickly put on a 7-0 comeback capped by Frank's free throw with 3:34 showing that narrowed it to 55-51.
 
BU's Maggie Pina answered with a 3-pointer and the Colgate offense went silent until the final minute, but hats off to the Raiders for hanging tough with a quality opponent.
 
Brodie led all scorers with 20 points, including seven in the final stanza. McMillan tallied eight in the final quarter to finish with 11. Boston's Riley Childs came off the bench to pace the Terriers with 14.


 
Bottom Line
• Boston University 62, Colgate 58
 
From the Source
• Head Coach Bill Cleary: (On the young squad at the finish) "We got to that point just through the flow of the game. At the end, we felt those were the five playing the best for us and they did a really good job. We closed the game well, we were right there, we had a couple of baskets that rimmed in and out, and you've got to love the intensity that our whole team brought top to bottom.
 
"It's a tough loss, but we definitely grew today and we definitely got better today."

Listen to the rest of Coach Cleary's comments HERE.


 
Stats of the Game
• Boston led 23-15 at the end of one quarter. After that, the score by quarters were 13-13, 12-8 Colgate and 18-18.
• The Terriers scored the first five points of the game and never trailed. But there were ties at 12-12 in the first and 40-40 in the third.
• Alexa Naessens was the Colgate rebound leader with five. Her two free throws with 1:29 left in the third quarter pulled the Raiders into that 40-all tie.
• McMillan had a pair of really good looks in the final half-minute not go down despite bouncing all around the rim when the score was 60-54.
• Keelah Dixon scored seven points.
• The Raiders won the rebound column for the first time this season, 35-28.
 
Up Next
• Colgate returns to the road next weekend for a two-game series at Holy Cross. Starting times have not been announced, but ESPN+ is carrying both livestreams.