The Boston University women’s basketball team didn’t exactly storm out of the gate in America East conference play, losing three of its first four contests.
With games against conference front-runners the State University of New York at Binghamton and the University of Vermont looming, BU knew it had to take care of America East doormats Northeastern University and the University at Albany this week.
The Terriers completed the first step with a 76-63 win over the Huskies on Sunday. The second step comes tonight when the Terriers welcome the last-place Great Danes.
The conference race is already a wide-open affair with Binghamton, in only its second season in Division I, America East’s top team with a record of 13-3. Third-place Vermont, the preseason pick of the coaches and numerous publications, was upset at home by No. 5 University of Hartford on Sunday. With almost every team seemingly capable of beating any other on a given night, it’s not a stretch to call tonight’s contest a must-win situation.
“As a coach, you’re definitely looking at [these games] as must-wins,” said BU coach Margaret McKeon. “If we execute and take care of business, the outcome will be what we want it to be.”
On paper, Albany is overmatched in nearly every area, particularly in size and athleticism. Danielle Hutchinson, Albany’s 6-foot-4 freshman center and leading scorer at 11.8 points per game, should give the Terriers’ frontcourt a decent workout. However, the Terriers hold a significant size advantage at both of the guard positions and at small forward.
The Great Danes also struggle at handling the basketball, committing a conference-worst 22.8 turnovers per game. This plays right into the strength of the Terriers, who force 10.9 steals and a conference-best 24.5 turnovers per contest.
“Albany is not a really athletic team, and they don’t have a lot of size,” McKeon said. “We need to capitalize on this. We need to take the last eight minutes of Sunday’s game and continue it.”
The Terriers should also benefit from the return of senior guard Annie Tomasini. Team doctors yesterday cleared Tomasini to play.
“Annie was really excited to be cleared to play,” McKeon said. “She can really help our program with her leadership, which is something that we’ve been missing.”
Tonight’s contest is the second game of a stretch in which the Terriers will play six of their next seven games at home. The Terriers’ only road game between now and Valentines Day will be a one-game road trip to Hartford next Wednesday.
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