The Boston University women’s basketball team travels to the Recreation and Convocation Center today for a noon tip-off against the University at Albany.
The Terriers (12-8, 5-2 America East) are riding a three-game winning streak, including an impressive 83-73 win over the University of Vermont on Saturday at Case Gymnasium. After falling behind early, BU took the lead two minutes into the game and never let go. The win moved the Terriers into a second-place tie with Vermont.
BU was paced by a career-high 27 points from guard Cheri Raffo. The senior hit five 3s in the first half, including four during a 23-4 run that helped BU pull away from the Catamounts. She is five points away from 1,000 career points.
Albany (6-14, 4-3) picked up its second-straight win with a 77-65 victory over Stony Brook University on Saturday to move into a fourth-place tie with Binghamton University. Junior guard Tanika Thrower led the way for the Great Danes with a season-high 19 points.
Stony Brook used a 12-1 first-half run to take an 18-point lead, but Albany responded with 11 straight points to pull within seven. The Great Danes took a 37-35 lead early in the second half, and put the game away with a 15-4 run midway through the session.
Joining Thrower in double-figure scoring was senior forward Kristin Higy (15 points), sophomore guard Brittany McGee and senior forward Sherri Mikus (12 points each).
Albany is led offensively by the trio of Higy, McGee and Thrower. Higy leads the Great Danes in scoring with 11.1 points per game, and ranks second in rebounding average (5.5).
McGee and Thrower are second and third in scoring with 10.4 and 9.4 points per game, respectively. Senior forward Gia Sanders leads Albany in rebounding with 6.7 boards per game.
Another key for the Great Danes is their defense. They average 11.4 steals per game, good for first in the conference and 23rd in the nation. Four players have at least 30 steals, with Thrower leading the way with 38.
Albany’s aggressive defense will surely pressure the Terrier guards. If this season is any indication, BU’s backcourt should be up to the task. The Terriers’ 274 turnovers are the fewest in the conference.
The Terriers’ judicious play is due in large part to junior point guard Christine Kinneary, who ranks fifth in the country with 7.2 assists per game. Her 143 assists are on pace to break the school record for assists in a season. She has turned the ball over 58 times, resulting in an assist/turnover ratio of 2.47 — the sixth-best in the country.
BU will attempt to capitalize on a size advantage up front. Junior forward Jesyka Burks-Wiley leads the Terriers with 14.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and sophomore Aly Hinton ranks second in points (10.1) and third in rebounds (5.5).
Senior center Kasey Devine, who continues to battle knee and back injuries that have hindered her all season, is fourth with 9.9 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game.
