WASHINGTON - Sophomore Laura Graytok hit a career-high 12 points off 3-for-3 shooting from three down the stretch, but it wasn't enough to lift the American University women's basketball team (5-7, 1-1 PL) over its first-half deficit at Boston University (6-7, 1-1 PL) as the Eagles fell to the Terriers, 59-44 on Sunday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Graytok hit all 12 of her points in the final minutes of the game to keep the Eagles offense rolling, including a perfect 3-for-3 from the perimeter in the final two minutes.
• Junior Indeya Sanders was the only other player to land in double-figures with 10 points alongside her five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.
• Sophomore Jade Edwards, who entered the weekend as the No. 2 scorer in the Patriot League with 16.8 ppg, was held to only seven points on the night, but added a team-high six rebounds, two steals, and gave up only one turnover.
• The Eagles closed shooting a season-low 26.0 percent (13-50), 35.3 percent from three (6-17).
• The Terriers were paced by three double-figure efforts, starting with 12 from Maggie Pina. Katie Nelson and Annabelle Larnard added 11 each while Maren Durant brought down 10 rebounds alongside her nine points.
• BU hit 36.4 percent from the floor (20-55) and 25 percent from three (5-20).
• American led Boston in points off turnovers, 14-10, and in points off the bench, 20-13, behind the dozen from Graytok.
• The Eagles struggled to get on the board early as Boston opened with a 5-0 run before a trey from Sanders at the 4:59 mark ended the drought.
• AU gave up consecutive turnovers coming out of the media timeout and hit another dry spell to close the first quarter trailing 15-6.
• Freshman Karla Vres came off the bench early in the second quarter and made an immediate impact, hitting a quick baseline jumper to bring AU back within seven. 
• It took until the 2:10 mark for the Eagles to hit another field goal, though, with a jumper from Sanders from inside the paint. She added another at the buzzer to end the half as the teams entered the break at 29-14.
• A three from BU opened the third quarter but the Eagles were quick to respond after a fast break feed from Sanders found Marenyi under the basket.
• The two teams traded basket-for-basket for much of the stanza, but AU was unable to hold the Terriers off defensively as they maintained a 15-17 point cushion. A late 5-0 BU run briefly built up a 20-point advantage before freshman Lauren Stack added another buzzer-beater to bring the difference back down to 18 at 49-31.
• Foul trouble plagued the Eagles in the fourth quarter as Marenyi was forced to the bench after she picked up her fourth with 1:33 left in the third. BU also had to close the game with some of its top players on the bench after Riley Childs and Nia Irving each got called for their fourth fouls midway through the final stanza.
• Neither team was able to get on the board to open the final quarter. Graytok hit the first field goal of the stanza at the 7:20 mark while the Terriers had to rely on free throw shooting until a layup from Pina with 3:25 left on the clock ended the drought.
• Another layup from BU's Lanard gave the Terriers their largest lead of the game at 57-35 until Graytok opened up from long range, hitting three quick three's to narrow the gap back down to 15 points by the final buzzer.

UP NEXT...
American will return home to host Army West Point on January 8, and Lehigh on Jan. 11 for AU's annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD).

For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).



WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON TICKETS

• General admission season tickets are $80 for adults and $50 for youth (17 & below) / seniors (65+).
• Full exchange for games you cannot make – as well as discounts, and special benefits throughout the year. All season ticket holders receive priority ticketing for all non-Patriot League postseason tournament games.
• Purchase online at AUeagles.com/Tickets

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AU STUDENTS

• Undergraduate, graduate, and Washington College of Law (WCL) students are admitted free of charge to all home basketball games with a valid AU ID.

For further inquiries on season ticket packages, mini-plans, group, or individual game tickets, call (202) 885-TIXX(8499) or e-mail clawed@american.edu. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Bender Arena Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For further updates, news, and to purchase tickets, visit AUeagles.com/Tickets.