Close game ends in 62-56 loss

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- After another close battle coming down to the final minutes, the BYU women’s basketball team dropped its first game of the season falling 62-56 to Boston College Thursday on the road.

“We didn’t play with a lot intensity or urgency and we didn’t follow our game plan,” BYU coach Jeff Judkins said. “I was happy we were able to come back but we didn’t make the plays when we needed to.”

The Cougars fell to 2-1 on the season while Boston College improved to 2-1.

Sophomore Lexi Eaton led BYU with a game-high 17 points and grabbed five rebounds while dishing out three assists. Graduate student Haley Steed contributed 11 points, five assists and three steals.

Senior Keilani Unga picked up a career-high and team-high nine boards.

Both teams struggled shooting in the first half with Boston College failing to hit a field goal the last eight minutes of the half and shooting 8 of 30. The Cougars ended the half 9 of 28 from the field.

BYU started slow, giving up a 12-5 lead after five minutes of play. After a Cougar timeout, Eaton sparked a 6-0 run to bring BYU within one with 12:41 on the clock. Eaton scored nine of BYU’s first 11 points and finished the half with 11.

Eaton dished it out to Morgan Bailey under the basket for the first Cougar lead of the night before the Eagles quickly scored on their next possession to flip the score back in their favor.

Stephanie Vermunt Seaborn hit her first basket of the game from behind the arc to take a one-point lead with just under two minutes on the clock. Two shots from the line by Unga gave BYU its largest lead of the half, heading into the break up 24-21.

After exchanging baskets to kick off the second half, the Eagles went on an 8-0 run to regain a three-point advantage after five minutes into the half. Seaborn knocked in her second 3-pointer to end the run and tie the game at 31. Boston College then hit back-to-back treys to push its lead to four with under 13 minutes to play.

A Katie Zenevitch layup helped the Eagles to their largest lead of the night, 50-41, with under six minutes left in the game. The Cougars continued fighting as Kim Parker Beeston was sent to the line for a one-and-one opportunity and knocked down both and Steed hit a big 3-pointer to shave Boston College’s lead to four with 5:13 remaining.

With 49 seconds on the clock, Eaton drove by her defender to bring the score to 56-52. Kristen Doeherty hit a pair of clutch shots from the line before Boston College was sent to the line again with 26 seconds remaining for another two points.

A late layup by Eaton and jumper from Ashley Garfield weren’t enough to prevent a 62-56 Boston College victory.

The Cougars continue their stint in Massachusetts, taking on Harvard Friday at 5 p.m. EST.

Postgame Notes

Team
BYU outrebounded Boston College 36-34.

The Cougars finished the game shooting 40 percent from the field and 63 percent from the charity stripe.

BYU got 10 points off its bench compared to the Eagles’ three.

Player
Lexi Eaton has tallied double digits in points in all three games on the year. At Boston College she led all scorers with 17 points.

Keilani Unga picked up new career highs in rebounds, grabbing a team-high nine boards.

Haley Steed finished the game with 11 total points, marking her first double-figure outing in points on the season. Steed also dished out a game-high five assists. She has recorded game highs in assists in all three contests played to date.

Stephanie Vermunt Seaborn tied her season high in rebounds with six.