In her senior campaign, Terrier guard Chantell Alford eclipsed BU’s all-time record for most 3-pointers made en route to leading the team’s offense to the second round of the NIT.
In its final season as a member of the America East Conference, the Boston University women’s basketball team overcame a conference tournament ban to produce one of the most successful seasons in team history.
At the season’s onset, the Terriers (24-6, 13-2 America East) already had their work cut out for them. If they wanted to make the postseason, they would have to do so with the America East Conference banning them from the conference tournament. Thus, they were faced with the task of qualifying for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament or any other postseason tournament.
In their second game of the season and first game against a nationally ranked opponent, the Terriers were matched up against then-No. 14 West Virginia University. BU came up short in the contest, with a final score of 60-57 in a game where senior guard Chantell Alford scored a career-high 30 points and came inches away from sending the game into overtime after her half-court heave with time expiring rattled off the rim.
After beginning with a shaky 3-3 record, the Terriers hit their stride in a blowout victory against the University of Rhode Island, sparking a 13-game win streak, which included an impressive 66-49 victory against then-No. 17 St. John’s University.
However, the win streak was threatened with a tough test in fellow conference unbeaten University at Albany in late January.
In their first matchup, the two teams met at Case Gymnasium. The Great Danes (27-3, 16-0 America East) went up big on BU at halftime, 33-17. Despite a second-half surge, the Terriers were unable to pull off the victory to remain undefeated in the America East Conference, falling by a score of 57-50. Alford led all scorers in the game with 17 points.
However, the Terriers were not marred by this loss and again went on a tear, winning six straight games before a rematch with Albany set up a crucial game in terms of making the postseason.
In their second contest, the two teams played in upstate New York in a much higher-scoring affair, but with a very similar outcome. The Terriers went into the locker room down at the half, and even with a second-half surge, they were unable to come away with the victory. Alford, again, led the Terriers with 25 points.
These two games prove to be key to the Terriers’ season, as they were BU’s only conference losses. Alford, who was the catalyst of the Terrier offense, led BU in scoring average this season with 16.4 points per game, shooting 43 percent from the field. In her final regular season game at Case Gymnasium on Senior Day against the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Alford finished just four points shy of her career high with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting.
Fellow senior guard Mo Moran assisted Alford in the backcourt this season, finishing the season leading the team with 5.6 assists per game while still contributing 10.1 points per game. On Senior Day, Moran finished the game with 14 points and one assist.
Over the course of the season, the Terriers saw significant production from each of their core players. Holding down the frontcourt was junior forward Rashidat Agboola, whose 11.7 points per game and nine rebounds gave the Terriers an added boost in the low post. Fellow junior Whitney Turner was also a force on the boards this season, averaging just over six rebounds per game.
When looking at the full scope of the America East Conference this season, the Terriers ranked among the league leaders in almost every major category.
At 61.9 points per game, BU finished second behind the University at Albany in scoring. BU also finished second in team defense, only allowing 51.8 points per game, and scoring margin, averaging plus-10.1 points per game.
Led by the sharpshooting of Alford, who eclipsed the BU record for most 3-pointers made, the Terriers finished first in the conference in 3-point shooting percentage at just under 36 percent.
The Terriers were fortunate enough to be selected to compete in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament for their second straight postseason appearance. In the first round, the Terriers were pitted against Sacred Heart University in a game where they took a big lead into the locker room and held off the Pioneers (22-11) for their second-ever postseason victory. In the next round of the WNIT, the Terriers took on Fordham University, but fell short with a final score of 58-44.
The season was definitely a positive one for the Terriers, and with the team moving into the Patriot League next season, BU coach Kelly Greenberg and the Terriers have a new set of teams and a new set of challenges ahead.
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