The loss snaps Stony Brook's six-game winning streak and gives the Seawolves their first loss during America East play (4-1). The Seawolves, who are 9-7 overall, have now lost five straight games to the Terriers, who improved to 3-1 in league play and 7-11 overall.
Coley finished 8-for-16 from the field and 2-for-4 from three-point range for his 21 points. Senior Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) added 14 points, and senior Al Rapier (Chicago, Ill.) chipped in 10.
Partin was 8-for-17 from the field for his 18 points, and D.J. Irving added 11.
"We got beat by a good team today," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "You can't spot a team a 14-point lead and expect to win. That wasn't like us. Usually, we defend the ball even when we're not scoring. But I liked how we fought back and got back into the game. We just fell short."
Boston University jumped out all over the Seawolves in the early going, as SBU made just two of its first 11 field goal attempts while turning the ball over nine times in the game's first 13 minutes. Irving got the Terriers going with a long three-pointer just as the shot clock buzzer sounded to put BU on top 8-2.
The Terriers extended that lead to 14 after Matt Griffin hit a mid-range jumper and then drained a three-pointer that made it 19-5 with 9:58 left in the first half.
Stony Brook fought back with a 13-5 run to close the half, including seven points from Coley, who fought his way through traffic to the basket for a layup with 2:38 left to make it 26-18, and then sophomore Anthony Jackson (Columbus, Ohio) stole an inbounds pass and took it home for a layup with 1:28 to play, sending the Seawolves into halftime down only six, 26-20.
The second half was a slugfest for both teams, and the Seawolves got right back into it with help from Dougher, who sank a three-pointer to open the half. Coley twice got the Seawolves to within one point, but the Terriers continually answered with big baskets. After Coley had a putback jumper to make it 28-27, Partin dropped in a three-pointer to make it a two-possession game again.
With 11:20 to go, Dougher again sank a three-pointer, and Coley actually tied the game with a jumper to make it 38-38. But again Partin was there to make a play, as he sank a jumper and then drilled a three-pointer off a rebound in transition to put the Terriers back up 43-38 with 9:00 to go.
A Partin jumper was sandwiched by three-pointers from Coley and Dougher, leaving BU with a one-point lead, 47-46, but the Terriers got inside layups from big men Dom Morris and Patrick Hazel to give BU a 51-46 lead with 5:34 to play.
Stony Brook gave it one more chance as Coley drove into the lane, hit a tough layup and drew a foul. He completed the three-point play with a free throw and made it a one-point game, 53-52, with 1:59 to go in the game.
Boston University went right back to Partin, who came off a screen and smoothly sank a jumper off the glass to put the Terriers on top 55-52. Dougher missed a game-tying three-pointer, and the Terriers went 6-for-6 from the free throw line to seal the victory.
Stony Brook outrebounded its opponent for the eighth straight game, winning the battle on the glass, 31-28, but it was the Terriers who had more second chance points, 13-10. The Seawolves committed 15 turnovers, 11 in the first half, that led to 12 BU points. Stony Brook shot 40.7% for the game and was 7-for-19 from three-point range.
The game did not feature many fouls, outside of Stony Brook fouling at the end of the game to try to stay in it. BU went to the line 10 times, making nine. SBU was 4-for-5 from the line, the five attempts tying a season low.
Stony Brook has only 48 hours until its next game, as it takes on New Hampshire Monday at Pritchard Gym at 5 p.m. The game will be televised live on Optimum Local Channel 118. All tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at GoSeawolves.org/tickets or at the ticket window on Monday, beginning at 4 p.m.
