Four days removed from its most lopsided victory in 14 years, the Boston University women’s basketball team travels to Alfond Arena tonight to visit the University of Maine in a battle of America East rivals.
The Black Bears (4-13, 1-3 AE) enter tonight’s contest eager to snap a three-game losing streak, while BU (9-7, 2-1) will try to maintain the focus and intensity that vaulted the team to an 89-40 home victory over Stony Brook University Saturday.
BU coach Kelly Greenberg said the Terriers’ energy level will be the deciding factor in tonight’s game.
“It’s a big key,” Greenberg said. “No question. If our first five bring the energy to start the game, we’re a very different team.”
The Terriers have shown flashes of invincibility when they play with high intensity, evidenced by their dominating victories over the University of Rhode Island (77-56), University of North Carolina-Greensboro (69-42) and University of Massachusetts-Amherst (72-60).
The Terriers have also been plagued by the occasional letdown, as was the case with BU’s 59-55 loss at Binghamton University earlier this month.
“We felt like we came out flat [against Binghamton],” Greenberg said Jan. 19. “We didn’t do anything to change it in the game. It was just one of those games when every single one of us — coaches right on down to all the players — just weren’t good.
“We didn’t have the energy. We didn’t have enthusiasm. It was a bad way to lose a game.”
Saturday’s game against the Seawolves was a different story. Greenberg credited the team’s intensity in a 49-point blowout victory over SBU, pegging the contest as a statement game for the Terriers.
Greenberg said one of BU’s major areas of concern heading into Saturday was the Terriers’ need to focus on playing their game as opposed to preparing for Stony Brook. While Greenberg still holds that mentality entering tonight’s contest, she also said there are particular preparations that must be made to counter Maine’s unorthodox style of play.
“They play a lot of 3-2 zone,” Greenberg said. “We definitely have talked about that and made sure that we’ve sharpened our zone offenses.
“If we’re rebounding the way we want to and we can push [the ball], we shouldn’t even be letting them set up in their 3-2. We really feel like our transition [offense] and then hitting the offensive boards should really defeat their 3-2.”
Tonight’s emphasis on transition offense places added responsibility on the shoulders of point guard Christine Kinneary. The junior has thrived in her role as BU’s floor general, averaging 7.3 assists per game and a 2.47 assist-to-turnover ratio, good for fourth and sixth in the nation, respectively.
Leading scorer and rebounder Jesyka Burks-Wiley will be called on to continue her dominant post play. The junior forward is coming off her third double-double of the season — a 17-point, 12-rebound effort in Saturday’s win.
One area of concern for the Terriers has been inconsistent road play. BU has posted a 5-0 record at Case Gym, with its only home loss coming at the hands of nationally-ranked Ohio State University on Nov. 17 at Agganis Arena. The Terriers (4-6 on the road) have struggled on opposing floors lately, entering tonight’s game with a four-game road losing streak.
