Terriers Face Crosstown Rivals

It’s a game of runs and a season of streaks, and the Boston University men’s basketball team has a streak going it would like to extend this weekend.

After a week-long hiatus, the Terriers will return to the floor Sunday at Northeastern University as winners of their last three contests, the first such streak this season.

Thanks to its recent comeuppance, BU (10-7, 4-1 America East) rests in second place in the conference with just one loss as it travels to rival Northeastern. The Huskies are in the midst of a surprisingly ugly start this season: 4-12, with a losing home record and shriveling confidence.

And with a late game last night against white-hot University of Vermont, winners of its last 11 and the only undefeated team in the league at 6-0, the Huskies unfortunately seem destined for their second-straight loss after beginning the season winless in their first six.

Northeastern may look ripe for BU’s picking, especially after Vermont delivered another demoralizing loss last night, beating the Huskies, 102-87. The Terriers have only fallen victim to the Catamounts in league play thus far, but if overconfidence could kill, it would come close with a loss Sunday against a Huskies team rocking back on its heels.

The Huskies are prone to playing the spoiler. They have some of the best talent in the conference in guard Jean Bain (averaging 10.3 points and 2.4 assists per game) and forward Toby Brittain (7.6 ppg, 17 blocks), but they are perennial underachievers. While Bain ‘ Co. have led Northeastern to the second-highest team offense in the America East this season, the Huskies are apathetic on defense and give up an average of almost 75 ppg.

Though Northeastern is talented enough to pull off an upset, as it nearly did Jan. 7 in a 80-77 loss to Vermont on a buzzer-beating three, the Huskies shoot atrociously from the free throw line (61 percent) and cough up the ball an average of 17 times each game.

If the Terriers can expect these spurts of careless play and want to continue to chase first place, there is no excuse that could sugarcoat a loss Sunday. With a win, BU would claim four consecutive wins for the first time since it won nine straight in 1997-98.

BU’s midseason week off might be an adversary in disguise, however, if it can’t carry over the momentum of its string of wins this weekend. Rookie guard Chaz Carr will have his hands full with Bain, and the Terriers are surely anticipating a physical game from Northeastern’s big men, Brittain, forward Aaron Davis and forward/center Sylbin Robinson.

Even if the Terriers allow the Huskies to stay close Sunday, the odds always seem to be against Northeastern — the Huskies are 0-5 in games decided by five points or fewer.