BOSTON (Interstat) — In a stunning upset to open their season, the Dartmouth Big Green edged the Boston University Terriers 52-50 in a defensive struggle at Agganis Arena on Friday night.

The victory, secured on the road, defied the odds as Interstat’s ELO system had projected Boston University with an 86.30 percent probability to win. Instead, Dartmouth opened its campaign with a hard-fought triumph, moving to a perfect 1-0 record, while the Terriers, playing their second game in four days, fell to a frustrating 0-2 start.

The game was a tale of offensive inefficiency, with both teams struggling to find a consistent rhythm from the field. The final score reflected a grind-it-out contest where every possession carried immense weight in the closing minutes. The Big Green managed to make just enough plays down the stretch to escape with the narrow victory.

A key performer in the upset was Dartmouth guard Zeynep Ozel. The sophomore from Istanbul, Turkey, led all scorers with 12 points in 28 minutes of action. Ozel was a critical catalyst for the Big Green offense, also contributing three rebounds and a team-high three assists, orchestrating the attack against a stubborn Terriers defense.

For Boston University, the loss was a collective offensive letdown, though several players turned in notable individual efforts. Bella McLaughlin, a guard from Hampden, Maine, paced the Terriers with seven points and pulled down six rebounds in 21 minutes. Her backcourt mate, Rose Azmoudeh of Dix Hills, New York, was active off the bench, adding nine points and two assists in 18 minutes.

The Terriers’ frontcourt saw contributions from several players. Allison Schwertner, a 6-foot-3 forward from Littleton, Colorado, provided a solid interior presence with eight points and five rebounds. The team’s defensive anchor was Anete Adler, the 6-foot-5 center from Tallin, Estonia, who swatted two shots and grabbed six rebounds despite being held to just two points. Anastasiia Semenova, another 6-foot-2 forward from St. Petersburg, Russia, chipped in seven points, two rebounds, and a block.

Additional minutes were spread throughout the roster as Coach Melissa Graves searched for a winning combination. Audrey Ericksen of Cary, North Carolina, logged 26 minutes, recording five points and four rebounds. Hildur Gunnsteinsdóttir of Selfoss, Iceland, dished out three assists, while Taylor Williams of Ajax, Canada, and Kate Allard of Bedford, New Hampshire, provided energy off the bench.

The loss extends a difficult opening stretch for Boston University, which dropped its season opener 65-55 to Quinnipiac this past Monday. The team will look to regroup quickly as they face a challenging schedule ahead. Their next opportunity to secure a first win comes on the road Tuesday against crosstown rival Northeastern. Following that, the Terriers will travel to New Haven on Nov. 15 and Brown on Nov. 19 before returning home to host Massachusetts-Lowell on Nov. 22. Other notable non-conference matchups include a trip to face North Carolina on Dec. 7 and a home game against Navy on New Year’s Eve.

For the victorious Dartmouth Big Green, the win provides immediate momentum as they embark on a busy early-season slate. The team has little time to celebrate, heading to New York to face Albany this coming Monday, Nov. 10. They will then play their home opener against Colby-Sawyer on Wednesday, Nov. 12, before hitting the road again for a game at Siena on Nov. 16. The remainder of their non-conference schedule in December features home games against Merrimack, Central Connecticut, Bucknell, and Stonehill, alongside road contests at NJIT, Iona, and in-state rival New Hampshire.

The game at Agganis Arena ultimately served as a season-launching statement for Dartmouth and a lesson in closing out tight games for Boston University. While the final margin was a mere two points, the result sets the two programs on divergent early-season paths.