The Boston University women’s basketball team broke into the win column for the first time this season with a 69-51 victory over Central Connecticut State University Tuesday night at Case Gymnasium.
The Terriers (1-3, 0-0 America East) jumped out to a 25-6 lead against the Blue Devils (1-3, 0-0 Northeast) and never looked back as the lead did not slip below 12 the rest of the night. BU looked far from dominant, though, and after a big run to open the game, it was back-and-forth until the final whistle.
The Terriers opened the game playing the kind of intense, energetic basketball BU Coach Margaret McKeon preaches, and with 5:12 left to play in the first half the Blue Devils had only managed to score six points.
The second half saw the Terrier lead grow to as big as 24 after a Terhune three-point shot made the score 65-41. With the starters on the bench, the Blue Devils cut the lead down to 18 points, concluding what should be an encouraging game for Central Connecticut, who lost to BU by 34 points a year ago.
On the offensive end, Terrier shooters looked timid, something McKeon attributes to players adjusting to their new roles after injuries that have changed the face of the team.
‘We’re in a transition right now, and that’s where the hesitation is coming from,’ McKeon said.
Two Terriers who did not shy away from scoring opportunities were junior forward Marisa Moseley and junior guard Katie Terhune. Moseley netted a career-high 18 points and Terhune led all scorers with 22 while eclipsing the 1,000 point mark for her career.
Despite playing an outstanding game and reaching a very impressive milestone, Terhune was quick to credit Moseley for her effort.
‘Marissa came up huge tonight,’ Terhune said. ‘We jumped on her back and she carried us. She has stepped up all season.’
The Terriers also received quality minutes from some of their bench players. Junior guard Lashaunda Mitchell has stepped in for injured freshman guard Rachael Vanderwal since her injury and senior center Rachel Werner supplied the Terriers with some tough defense, blocking a game-high three shots while grabbing two of the Terriers’ 21 steals.
Werner and Mitchell are two of the team’s veteran reserves who are being counted on to provide solid contributions while the injured Terriers work their way back into the lineup.
Terhune sees the light at the end of the road for the Terriers.
‘We’re going to be real good. Right now we just have a lot of things to work out,’ Terhune said.
One source of optimism is the freshman guard Katie Meinhardt’s recovery from an elbow injury she sustained in the preseason. Meinhardt will likely be cleared to play in the Moran Realty Classic at DePaul University on Friday.
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