BU holds positional edge over UNH in quarterfinal

As the Boston University men’s basketball team prepares to square off against University of New Hampshire Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the America East Conference Tournament, here’s a positional breakdown of the individual matchups:

CENTER: Patrick Hazel vs. Dane DiLiegro
The Terriers will call on Hazel, the transfer from Marquette University, to answer the bell defensively opposite one of the America East’s most skilled big men, the 6-foot-9, 250-pound DiLiegro. An efficient scorer, DiLiegro converted 52.1 percent of his field goal attempts and averaged 8.8 points per game during the regular season. Whether the Wildcats exploit DiLiegro’s overwhelming advantage over Hazel on the offensive end is anyone’s guess. On the defensive side of the ball, it’s more of the same. Though he is BU’s leading rebounder with nearly six boards a game, Hazel will have a hard time boxing out DiLiegro, who finished second in the conference with 8.2 rpg.
Edge: UNH.

FORWARD: Dom Morris vs. Brian Benson
Morris strung together solid overall performances in his final two regular-season games, scoring a combined 13 points and snagging 22 total rebounds. Widely considered the gem of BU coach Patrick Chambers’ 2010-11 freshman class, Morris has demonstrated down the stretch that he has the ability to bulldoze his way to the hoop or show off his deft touch from behind the 3-point arc. The skinny 6-foot, 170-pound Benson has posted impressive rebounding numbers in league play, but he’ll be eaten alive by Morris, who stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs 70 pounds heavier. A dominant presence in the paint, Morris will have his way with Benson, who gets outmuscled by even marginally more physical players.
Edge: BU.

GUARD: Darryl Partin vs. Chandler Rhoads
Behind senior guard John Holland, Partin has been BU’s No. 2 scorer all season long and amped up his play during the Terriers’ eight-game winning streak to close out the regular season. He finished fifth among AE players with a season average of 14.9 points per game. Rhoads, on the other hand, is an offensive liability for the Wildcats in the half-court set. Shooting an atrocious 33.3 percent from the field and 28.2 percent from 3-point territory, Rhoads is not exactly a threat to shoot the lights out. Rhoads is a solid defender and could cause Partin some trouble, but in the end, Partin has the edge in this matchup.
Edge: BU.

GUARD: John Holland vs. Tyrone Conley
The frontrunner for the America East Conference Player of the Year award, Holland is the league’s most dangerous offensive player. Despite a left ankle sprain that kept him out of BU’s final game of the regular season, Holland is expected to suit up for the Terriers’ matchup against the Wildcats. He led the conference in scoring for a second straight season, but he’ll have his hands full with Conley, the Wildcats’ most explosive offensive weapon who is considered by most to be the best leaper in the America East. Listed at 6-foot-2, Conley can erupt for 30 points in one game and disappear the next. In a matchup that could determine the winner of this game, Holland gets the nod due to his recent consistency.
Edge: BU.

POINT GUARD: D.J. Irving vs. Jordan Bronner
In his first season donning the scarlet and white, Irving has run the Terrier offense like a seasoned veteran, dishing out a team-high 117 assists and racking up multiple AE accolades. Third on the team in minutes played with 923, Irving could easily be the leader in this category if he hadn’t fouled out in a couple games this season. Some might have worried that Chambers gave the reins to his offense to a true freshman, but Irving has accepted the challenge. His lightning-quick speed will make it hard for Bronner to stay with him. A promising freshman point guard himself, Bronner has shown flashes of consistency, but he is still making rookie mistakes. Irving prevails in this matchup by a landslide.
Edge: BU.

RESERVES: Matt Griffin, Jeff Pelage, Mike Terry Jr. vs. DeAndray Buckley, James Valladares, Scott Morris
Bench players can turn the tide of a game in their team’s favor, and BU has the better and deeper bench than UNH. Griffin can infuse energy into the team with his style of play, Pelage can grab rebounds in traffic and Terry Jr. can provide hustle plays. Buckley, Valladares and Morris can put up points, but the Terriers’ reserves can contribute in a variety of ways.
Edge: BU.

COACHES: Patrick Chambers vs. Bill Herrion
No coach has his team playing better basketball heading into the conference tournament than Chambers. In each of his first two seasons, Chambers has positioned BU to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth. Herrion offers no contest to Chambers. The winner of this matchup is a no-brainer.
Edge: BU.