Right now, the Boston University women’s basketball team sits in the basement of the America East Conference at 0-3. But before dropping like flies 67-51 to sixth-ranked Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. Friday, the team sat somewhere a bit more comfortable on turkey day: sophomore guard and San Francisco native Katie Meinhardt’s house.
By Thursday, the team will have played four powerhouse women’s basketball conferences in as many games. All four conferences – the Southeastern Conference (the University of Florida), the Big XII (Texas A’M University), the Pac-10 (Stanford) and the Atlantic 10 (Fordham University) finished the 2003 season all ranked among the top 10 conferences in women’s basketball. The team’s early-season experience puts them roughly in Paris Hilton’s department in terms of exposure, priming them for America East play in January.
The Terriers take on Fordham at 7 p.m. tonight at Case Gymnasium. In their fourth game against as many different conferences, the women are sampling as many different styles of basketball as foods at the Meinhardts’. And after losing 59-55 to Fordham in the Bronx last year, the Terriers look to put a battering on the Rams (1-2) to notch their first win of the season and exact some revenge.
BU coach Margaret McKeon said that, despite the lack of wins, the team has used the early games to improve and is ready, ‘especially with the circumstances from last year.’
‘I know that we all want to win a basketball game,’ she said, ‘but it hasn’t been a stressful period of time. It’s the fact that we’re consumed with wanting to get on the same page offensively and defensively and improving every game. Our spirits are high, and I feel we’ll come out and play well.’
As opposed to the first three games, the Terriers have a common perspective from which to view their opponent this time. The Rams fell to Stanford 79-53 less than a week before the Terriers did. Though the loss margin was greater, Fordham had more second chances than any of Hugh Grant’s movie characters, pulling down 36 rebounds, including 16 offensively.
McKeon said the Terriers will have to work hard and key on the Rams’ rebounding if they want to really utilize their defense, as BU has been out-rebounded in every game this year.
‘They’re one of the best rebounding teams we’ve seen all year,’ she said. ‘They’re up there with Florida, but a different type. Where Florida had size and athleticism, they’re quick to the ball.
‘Offensively, they’re good because they go after the ball like they expect to miss the first shot,’ McKeon continued. ‘But if you limit them to one shot, they have a tough time scoring. They’re not a great scoring team, but [if they get second chances] they’ll put you in foul trouble or make their shots.’
It’s tough to make shots when the ball’s not in your hands. However while the Terriers turned the ball over 13 times to Stanford, the Rams provided the ladies in red with 22 early Christmas presents. The Terriers look to put the pressure on the Rams with their defense, which is again playing the part of the Grinch, taking a Whoville-sized bit over 20 turnovers on average over the last three games.
And, for the first time all season, BU emerges from the redwoods of California to find a size advantage.
‘They aren’t a great passing team,’ McKeon said. ‘We’ve been working on and discussing getting deflections and turning them into points. Their one and two guards are [5-feet-5-inches], so if we can use our size and our full-court press, I think they’ll have a hard time passing and seeing lanes … we’ll be big for the majority of the game.’
And besides emerging with a size advantage, the Terriers look to emerge reenergized. After a chaotic beginning to the season with players struggling in their roles – the team had 56 turnovers through its first two games before only 13 against Stanford – they are beginning to fall into place, according to McKeon.
‘I think we’re starting to jell on the court, where each player feels comfortable with the ball,’ she said. ‘We’re starting to play off each other, to play together.’
But they’ll have to go at it without Meinhardt, who is out for a week with a bone bruise in her foot she suffered early against Stanford. Freshman Erica Kovach, who suffered a severe ankle sprain against Texas A’M on Nov. 23, joins her on the bench.
They should, however, come out with a renewed Katie Terhune, BU’s third-leading scorer in program history, McKeon said. Terhune scored seven points in a second half Terrier run at Stanford to look in tune to the offense again. Now, the Terriers and Terhune look to march forward.
‘If we play well and shoot well, I’m hoping we have a coming-out party,’ McKeon said, ‘in the sense of winning a basketball game, and for Katie also, to score some points and get back … I told her to just build off the second half at Stanford.’
The Rams will ride on the shoulders of juniors Monica Mack (11.7 points per game), Stacey Price (10 rebounds per game) and Kyshawn Ruff (7.3 rebounds per game), a preseason A-10 All-Defensive Teamer.
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