BOSTON (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle where points were at a premium, the Dartmouth women’s basketball team edged Boston University 52-50 on Friday night at Agganis Arena to open its season with a hard-fought victory.

The game was a tale of offensive inefficiency, with both teams struggling to find a rhythm. Dartmouth secured the win despite scoring just 52 points on 60 possessions, translating to an offensive rating of 86.5. Boston University was even less effective, managing 50 points on 61 possessions for an offensive rating of 82.3. The Terriers fell to 0-2 to start their campaign.

The contest was ultimately decided at the free-throw line. Dartmouth capitalized on its opportunities, making 11 of 15 attempts. Boston University, conversely, left crucial points on the court, converting only 5 of 10 from the charity stripe.

Dartmouth’s Cate MacDonald, a 6-foot-1 forward from Lynnfield, Massachusetts, led all scorers with 14 points, adding six rebounds and two blocks in 37 minutes of action. She was joined by guard Alexandra Eldredge of McLean, Virginia, who also scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds while playing a game-high 39 minutes.

The Big Green were bolstered by a near double-double from Olivia Austin of Western Springs, Illinois, who contributed eight points and nine rebounds. Guard Zeynep Ozel from Istanbul, Turkey, provided a spark off the bench with 12 points and three assists.

Boston University’s effort was more distributed. Allison Schwertner of Littleton, Colorado, and Rose Azmoudeh of Dix Hills, New York, each scored nine points. Inés Monteagudo of Valencia, Spain, facilitated the offense with a team-high four assists.

Statistically, the Terriers held advantages in several categories, including offensive rebounds (14 to Dartmouth’s 7), assists (10 to 4), steals (10 to 4), and points in the paint (22 to 14). However, their inability to convert from the field — they shot 19 of 55 overall and 7 of 28 from three-point range — and their struggles at the free-throw line proved insurmountable.

Dartmouth, which shot 17 of 45 from the floor and 7 of 22 from beyond the arc, capitalized more effectively on Boston University’s mistakes, scoring 18 points off 15 Terrier turnovers. Boston University managed 10 points off an equal number of Dartmouth turnovers.

The victory was an upset according to Interstat’s ELO system, which had projected Boston University with an 86.30 percent probability to win.

Dartmouth looks to build on its opening win when it travels to face Albany on Monday. Boston University will seek its first victory of the season on the road against Northeastern on Tuesday.