M. bball heads to Vermont with top AE spot on the line

As John Holland and assistant coach Sean Ryan shot around at the conclusion of Tuesday afternoon’s practice, a trace of anticipation floated around Case Gymnasium. While many players on the Boston University men’s basketball team often stay after practice to continue shooting, Holland stayed later than usual, which was especially interesting since the team bus was scheduled to leave for Burlington, Vt., in 15 minutes. And judging by his energy, you’d have the thought it was the end of a game, not the end of a practice.

Maybe Holland (BU’s leading scorer with 18.3 points per game) was merely replicating an act he had performed multiple times before this season, but perhaps – given BU coach Dennis Wolff said Holland ‘looked like an NBA player’ during the workout – he and his teammates are invigorated by the thought of tonight’s game and its massive implications.

When the Terriers visit the University of Vermont on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. on NESN), the result will decide first place in America East. BU currently holds a half-game lead over both UVM (18-7, 9-3 AE) and Binghamton University (which visits Boston on Saturday).

‘When you get to this point in the season and there are six games left, every game’s important,’ Wolff said. ‘The nice thing is there’s significance attached to each game, and I think everybody understands that. It’s nice to be clearly playing for something, and I think we all feel that.’

While the last two weeks have been physically demanding for the under-manned Terriers (14-9, 9-2), this week’s schedule presents a new set of challenges – a pressure to win and stay on top. That hasn’t been the case in three seasons, but with wins on Wednesday and Saturday, BU would greatly improve its chances to claim its first regular-season title since 2004.

And while the phrase ‘for the first time since the 2004-05 season’ has been tossed around a number of times over the course of BU’s inspired run, it’s simply a testament to the quality of basketball the Terriers are playing – especially on the road.

In six games against conference opponents away from Boston, the Terriers are 5-1 – their only loss coming in the conference opener against the University at Albany when they were playing without junior point guard Corey Lowe – and outscoring the home team by an average of 14.4 points.

‘I think we have a good routine going right now – from the way we handle the traveling to what we do [the night prior] and all day [gameday]. I don’t know if there’s any magic formula, but what we’re doing has been working, and it’s gotten us in the right frame of mind,’ Wolff said, attempting to explain BU’s road success.

While it may seemingly bode well for BU that Wednesday’s game is on the road, Vermont is widely considered the best team in the conference (even taking into account BU’s current run). Prior to a devastating come-from-ahead loss against Binghamton, the Catamounts had won seven games in a row, and have since rebounded to win their last two and pull within a half game of the Terriers.

In addition, Vermont has beaten BU in five of the teams’ last six meetings, including a 70-56 blowout victory at Agganis Arena earlier this season.

While UVM and BU boast the top scoring offenses in conference play (78.2 and 74.2 points per game, respectively), it was the Catamounts’ full-court press that forced 14 turnovers by BU in the comeback win. Wolff expects the same on Wednesday.

‘We turned the ball over and gave them baskets,’ Wolff said. ‘I thought we were sloppy as heck against their full-court pressure, and when it got to a critical juncture, we caved in. Our guys have changed.’

Despite their breadth of experience and veteran leadership that has led to the ‘change’ Wolff spoke of, this group of Terriers has encountered many ‘firsts’ over the course of their streak. It remains to be seen if prevailing in the most important regular-season matchup of their careers will be another.