The Boston University men’s basketball team will travel to the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Thursday for a contest at the Tsongas Center.
The two teams are no strangers, as they have faced one another the past two seasons since the River Hawks (4-4) moved up from Division II to Division I for the 2013-14 season. Since becoming a Division I school, Lowell has split its two games with BU (3-5).
The River Hawks dropped a 91-65 decision to BU two years ago, showing their initial struggles with a higher competition level. However, Lowell got its revenge last season, beating the Terriers 69-59 on Nov. 30, 2014.
“They’ve got a nice style of play which is different than a lot of other teams,” said BU coach Joe Jones. “They play very small, are very young, really talented and well-coached. It’s a tough matchup for us because they present a lot of problems.”
BU is looking to bounce back after two tough losses to other in-state opponents. The Terriers lost 99-69 to the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Dec. 2 and fell 75-69 to Harvard University on Tuesday.
The River Hawks will also have a lot of momentum after their upset win over Boston College on Sunday. It was a close matchup, but Lowell squeaked by with a 68-66 victory.
Two players on Lowell average above double-digits points: redshirt sophomore guard Jahad Thomas (11.0 points per game) and freshman guard Isaac White (12.4 PPG). Outside of the aforementioned duo, five players average between five and 10 PPG, showcasing the River Hawks’ depth.
White could cause BU some serious problems, as he scored 20 points in the River Hawks’ win against BC (3-6). He dropped five 3-pointers and five important free throws to seal their upset of the Eagles.
“The kid White is a very unique and talented player,” Jones said. “He’s a very good passer and one of those guys that loves contact and puts a lot of pressure on you. I think overall their perimeter is really good in terms of the ability to shoot it and pass it and share it. It’s not just White, but others too.”
Meanwhile, the Terriers are still trying to find their best lineup, which has been delayed by injuries across the board. Junior guard Cedric Hankerson will likely take a redshirt season after reinjuring his knee, freshman guard Kyle Foreman is working his way back from an ankle injury and senior forward Justin Alston picked up a foot injury against Harvard (3-6).
Junior guard Eric Fanning, who was previously serving a team-enforced suspension, scored 19 points against the Crimson. With players in and out of the lineup for various reasons, Jones said he’ll look for his team to rise to the occasion.
“The one thing that I’ve been preaching is we just have to stay the course,” he said. “It looks like right now Hankerson is out for the season, and we’ve got some guys going in and out. We haven’t really had the chance to get the group together for a long period of time this year. Some of the continuity has been lost because of the injuries.”
Despite the injury setbacks and mixed results, Jones is optimistic about his team’s chances against the River Hawks.
“I really feel like this team has a chance to really hit its stride at some point and right now we just have to stay the course and see it through,” Jones said. “Other guys have to step and we’ll figure it out, but there’s enough pieces for us to do that.”
