Boston University’s dominance in its first season in the Patriot League ended Wednesday, as American stifled the Terriers en route to a 55-36 victory Wednesday night in the conference tournament championship game at Agganis Arena.
Darius Gardner scored 18 points for second-seeded American (20-12), which grabbed the league’s automatic NCAA berth. Tony Wroblicky added 15 points and eight rebounds.
Maurice Watson Jr. had 11 points and five assists but also seven turnovers for top-seeded BU (24-10), which will have to settle for an NIT bid. Dom Morris finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
BU won the league’s regular-season title and cruised into the title game, but American frustrated the hosts with an aggressive 2-3 defense. The Terriers were unable to find the range from long distance — shooting an abysmal 1-for-17 from behind the arc — and finished at 30 percent overall from the field.
American, meanwhile, had no such troubles, shooting 55 percent, including 4-of-9 3-pointers.
The Eagles, who never trailed, led 24-16 after a first half in which BU hit just 6-of-25 shots. Gardner hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the period. The second half was more of the same, with the Terriers unable to put together a run. The Eagles closed the game on an 11-2 run and then celebrated with their fans, who stormed the court.
