UConn 92 BU 64: BU gets clobbered.

Recap from the BU website.
Recap from the UConn website.

Boston University will have to wait another year to break their 50 year winless streak when facing ranked opponents.  UConn beatdown BU like a 2 seed playing a 15 seed.

There is not much to write about this game.  You could read the preview that I posted yesterday and think it was was a recap.  Yesterday I guessed the score would be 90 - 64 UConn. The actual score was 92 - 64 UConn. I was off by two points!

The game played out exactly as I expected.  UConn was way too physical for the Terriers, they out rebounded BU 54 - 29 and blocked six Terrier shots..  BU tried a lot of three pointers to try to keep up with UConn, but no amount of threes could've kept the Terriers in this one.  When all was said and done a more athletic UConn team was just better than the Terriers. The Terriers didn't play as awful as they did in the Harvard game, it was just a mismatch.

Random thoughts from this game:

• John Holland and Jake O'Brien are legit and could probably be pretty decent if they played for a school in a major conference. Right now they are the best two players talent wise on the team.  Holland had 23 points and O'Brien added 18 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double.  That's pretty impressive especially against a team of UConn's caliber.
• Why did coach Pat Chambers take his players off the floor before the half was over?  Yes, there was only .2 seconds left on the clock, but seriously you can't wait?  The ref should've allowed them to stay in the locker room, it would've been funnier if BU came out of the locker room and UConn was up by three more points than they remembered.
• The Terriers were banged up tonight and didn't have a very deep bench. In addition to Valdas Siruitis and Scott Brittain being out, Corey Lowe sat out his first game because he is suffering from plantar fascitis. As a result, O'Brien led the team with 39 minutes played, Morris played 38 and Holland added another 37.  When your players log that many minutes they are going to be very tired. The Terriers need someone to get healthy soon.

Next Up:
Boston U v. Bucknell
Sunday 12/6 2:00 PM Tip at Agganis Arena
Listen: 1510 am

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JC's Preview: Boston U v. Harvard (Case Gym 11/29 5 PM)

Before I begin the preview, is it me or does Coach Pat Chambers sound like a broken record? Look at the last paragraph of Dan Duggan’s recap of the Northeastern game:

“We got better today, we’re going to practice (tomorrow) and we’ll continue to get better,” Chambers said. “As long as we’re getting better and we’re headed in the right direction, we’re going to be OK.”

This is what Chambers has been preaching after every game this season. He just used the form of “to get better” three times. I have no problems with what the coach is saying; I want the Terriers to get better too, so do all Terriers fans. But it’s just stating the obvious. It’s like saying “I get better at my job every day.” I think Coach Chambers needs to say something a little more inspirational. For example what if he said this instead:

“We’ll be on the same level as UConn by the time we play them next week.” Or….
“This is a great team with determination, they won’t quit and neither will I, we could be down 50 to the Celtics and still not quit.”

Maybe, those examples are a little over the top, but I think you get my point. Also, I don’t like the last part of the last sentence: “we’re going to be OK.” As a fan I hope BU is going to be more than “OK,” I hope BU is going to be great. Pat Chambers may be doing well on the court directing his team but he needs to show a little more passion in post game interviews if he wants to attract students and fans to the game and recruit great talent to the program. He’s got my $10, but I don’t think he is convincing many more than that right now. Now, onto JC’s preview.

JC’s Preview

BU v. Harvard, Sunday 11/29 5 PM, Case Gym

Radio: 1510 AM

Harvard:


Harvard comes into this game fresh off of a 78 – 60 schlacking of fellow America East member New Hampshire. In that game and the previous game against Bryant, Harvard played 10 different players for 10 or more minutes and not one player was on the court for over 27 minutes. Look for Harvard coach Tommy Amaker to make frequent subs. Also, considering that stat, senior guard Jeremy Lin’s 18.1 points per game is pretty impressive. Harvard is a team much like the Terriers that likes to shoot the 3 often. Lin and sophomore guard Oliver McNally are 35% and 44% from beyond the arc respectively. They should match-up pretty well in the guard position with the Terriers. Look for Harvard to shoot a lot of shots from beyond the arc.


Boston U:

BU comes in fresh off of their 69 – 64 OT win over Northeastern. So far the Terriers have gotten outstanding play from their forwards sophomore Jake O’Brien and senior and leading scorer for the Terriers John Holland. Of course we could not forget, Corey Lowe’s remarkable performance against Northeastern, which was probably the most inspired of the season. He aggravated a foot injury in the last few minutes of the game and stays in the game. That’s the heart and will of a true leader and captain. The Terriers have an arsenal of shooters from beyond the arc, five players are shooting 30% or better from three (Holland, Lowe, Strong, O’Brien and Morris).

In their last matchup against Northeastern the main concern was their streakiness. BU’s fanbase (including myself), was put on the emotional rollercoaster versus Northeastern. The Terriers were down by 10 early in the first but battled back within 2 at the half. They then went on a 13 – 0 run and took an 11 point lead only to blow that and have to come from behind again to force overtime. Then after that my emotions took over and I blacked out.


BU Keys to the game:

• Shoot better from three than Harvard. 
• Play a strong and consistent 40 minutes.
• Play as aggressive as they have all season.
• Neutralize Lin and McNally

BU should beat Harvard extending their streak to nine consecutive wins against and not allow Harvard a win at BU since the 1975-76 season.

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BU topples Northeastern in OT 69 - 64

Wow, great game (short recap). Very frustrating at times, very exciting at times, very similar to the BU v. Harvard hockey game I went to last night.

Quickly some thoughts:

• Co-players of the game: Corey Lowe and Jake O'Brien
• Most Frustrating part: BU went on an 13 - 0 run to take an 11 point lead to start the first 5:30 of the second half. The rest of the second half they only scored 13 points.
• Most exciting part: John Holland's dunk in the last seconds of the game to seal it.

I have to go back to Connecticut now for Thanksgiving. More thoughts on the game later. In the meantime, I leave you with a few pictures.

Yours Truly

Jake O'Brien sinking a foul shot

UPDATE:


Finally some time to sit down and write about this game.

It was probably one of the more exciting games you will see at Case Gym all year. The Terriers were down by 10 early in the first half but battled back to make it a 2 point deficit going into the locker room.

Pat Chambers must have said something at halftime to light a fire under these guys asses. When they came out they looked stronger than they have all season. In the first 5 minutes they went on a 13 - 0 run to take the lead by 11. I thought after we took the lead we might be in the midst of a blowout. But after a tactical time out by Northeastern, the Terriers cooled down and only scored 13 points the rest of the half.

Overtime was scary. The Terriers came out of the gate with two threes to make it a six point game and they even blow that. But after a few turnovers on both ends, but more turnovers for Northeastern, BU is able to grab the lead with about a minute left and keep it for good. The exclamation point was a sweet dunk by John Holland at the end of the game that could've made Sportscenter.

Overall, it was a great win against a bitter crosstown rival. However, the Terriers looked very streaky at times especially in the second half. They came out of the locker room very strong and then faded. It may work versus Northeastern but against Harvard and Connecticut they are going to have to stay consistent across the whole 40 minutes.


Other things I noticed:

• There was more of a Northeastern following at the game than BU. Perhaps because of Thanksgiving break, but still I didn't like it.
• Northeastern fans are assholes, they were screaming at Corey Lowe as he was limping off the court during overtime.
  
• BU is still fouling a lot. Jake O'Brien had 4 fouls for most of the second half; as a result, he had less playing time and probably less points.
• Tyler Morris fouled out again.
• Did I already mention Corey Lowe and Jake O'Brien were amazing?
• Coach Chambers has a weird way of coming up with set plays. Before that Corey Lowe jumper to tie the game with 18.1 seconds left in regulation, Coach Chambers had all of his players go to the bench while him and his coaches deliberated in the middle of the court for 75% of the timeout. Then he went back to the team and explained what the came up with in the span of 20 seconds. Shouldn't he have plays like this in his pocket before the game, just for these situations? Hey, I'm not complaining, it worked.
  

Next up:
BU v. Harvard
Sunday 11/29/2009 at Case Gym 5 PM Start
Listen to it on 1510 The Zone

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BU 71 - Indiana 67

Recap. And another recap.

Wow. I was really pumped about this game. The Terriers beat the Hoosiers! BU cannot say that very often.

Notes from the game:

BU out muscled a team from a major conference. BU out rebounded the Hoosiers by 52 - 32. BU scored 19 second chance points. It's clear that this Terriers team is being more aggressive and more physical this year under Pat Chambers than last year under Dennis Wolff.

John Holland again has an unbelievable performance with 21 points. And Jake O'Brien recorded his first career double double.

The Terriers had some nine point deficits a few times during the game but never let the deficit grow to double digits. The Terriers always kept battling back and finally broke through in the final minutes of the game.

Momentum shifter: In the second half down by six Indiana's Devin Dumes commits an intentional foul. John Holland sinks both and then on the in bounds Tyler Morris drains a three. All of a sudden the Terriers are only down by 1 point. BU lost the lead on the next few possession but it definitely instilled some confidence that BU needed to win the game.

Overall, I am very excited to see the Terriers beat one of the most historic college basketball programs in the country. This is a win that this mid-major BU program can build off of. Now the Terriers play their first ranked opponent of the year in Georgia Tech. I look forward to another close game.

Next Up:
BU vs. #19 Georgia Tech 12:30 pm Eastern from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Watch it on ESPNU or listen to it on 1510 the zone.

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