Holland dominates at MSG, on Senior Day

NEW YORK – John Holland isn’t a big fan of touching moments.

Yet despite a weekend filled with the distractions of playing his first game at Madison Square Garden in front of his hometown fans and his last regular-season game at Case Gymnasium, the senior forward was still able to put together two of his best all-around performances of the year on Thursday and Saturday to lift the Boston University men’s basketball team to a season-best four-game win streak.

Holland was the unparalleled star of the “Big Apple Battle” at MSG on Thursday against the University at Albany, pouring in a game-high 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field despite playing just 29 minutes due to two quick fouls that he drew in the first half.

In the buildup to the America East Conference’s first game at MSG, the fact that it would be a homecoming of sorts for Holland, the team’s only senior, was frequently cited as a main reason for BU’s participation. Despite the emotion that must have come with such an event, Holland was a portrait of poise on the Garden floor.

While the Great Danes struggled to hit shots all game long, posting a 34 percent shooting percentage, the Terriers (14-13, 9-4 AE) and Holland seemed unaffected by the big stage. As a team, they posted a 45.8 shooting percentage.

“I don’t know,” said Albany coach Will Brown when asked if the nerves that come with playing at MSG affected his team’s shooting. “Obviously it didn’t affect John Holland.”

Holland mixed a deadly combination of three-point shooting (3-of-4 from beyond the arc) and driving layups designed to draw fouls (6-of-7 from the line) that kept him potent offensively all night long under the Garden lights.

“It was a great experience,” Holland said of playing at MSG. “I’m happy we won. That’s the most important thing. Hopefully we’re starting to put it all together and make this run.”

Just two days later, Holland found himself the center of attention again prior to his final regular-season game at Case Gymnasium against the University of Hartford Hawks.

Per custom, Holland was introduced with his parents prior to the game and received flowers, a framed jersey, and other commemorative items of his years at BU before taking part in a photo opportunity with his family and the coaching staff.

“I really don’t like moments like that,” Holland said. “I guess it was nice for [my parents]. It’s a good thing that they got to experience, after supporting me for my whole life, both them and my aunt. To get the flowers and the jersey, that must have been really special to them, and it was really special to be with them, and to allow them that moment. It was nice.”

Once the spotlight turned to the game at hand, both teams struggled out of the gate, including Holland. Neither team scored through the game’s first 3:58 until Holland hit a jumper, but that would remain his only basket in the game’s first nine minutes.

“I think that Senior Night [was the reason for his struggles early],” BU coach Patrick Chambers said. “I’m sorry to say that I’m not a big fan of Senior Night. I think you have to have it. It’s important to the families. I think they need that. But, you’re a human being. You’re thinking about, ‘this is my last game. I’m with my mom. I’m giving her flowers. I’m getting a jersey. I’m getting a ball.’

“Isn’t that going to mess you up a little bit? I think that would mess anybody up. It messed me up. In [John’s] defense, I think it took him a little while to get the cobwebs out.”

But once they were out, Holland was putting the ball back in the basket. The senior finished with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, pulled down five defensive rebounds, and secured both of the Terriers’ two steals.

His first steal of the night came off of a diving grab at half-court with 6:28 remaining in the first half. Holland finished the play by finding junior guard Matt Griffin while lying on his back. Griffin hit junior guard Darryl Partin for a driving layup and the Terriers’ first lead since the game’s opening minutes.

“That’s basically what our program is based on,” Holland said of the steal. “That basically is attitude and doing all the little things, the dives, the extra passes. I think that play may have sparked something, but we try and do that all the time. That’s something that we emphasize. It’s what our program is all about, doing those little things, the attitude plays. That was just a great example of it.”

After the Terriers pulled away in the game’s final minutes for their season-best fourth straight win, the student section assembled at Case began to chant “John Holland” as the players came near the stands to acknowledge the crowd. Chambers seemed to encourage his senior to embrace the moment and join in the celebration. Holland resisted.

“I don’t really like to do all that,” a humble and smiling Holland said following the contest. “I just want to fly under the radar. I don’t want to do that. It’s just another game.”