Going into the fourth quarter of its contest versus Lafayette College Saturday at Case Gym, the Boston University women’s basketball team was in prime position for its second-straight victory.
The Terriers (2-20, 2-9 Patriot League) were in a better position against the Leopards (5-16, 3-8 Patriot League) than they were in Thursday’s 51-49 win over the United States Naval Academy. In that game, junior guard Sarah Hope drained a buzzer-beater, but her efforts were not enough against Lafayette, as BU ultimately fell 71-64.
Despite the loss, BU head coach Katy Steding heaped praise on Hope’s presence and overall importance.
“Sarah brings a number of weapons,” Steding said. “Not just her shot, but she is game savvy. She has a very high basketball IQ, and she really does understand what needs to happen in different situations. She brings way more than just her 3-point shot. She brings leadership, tenacity and her teammates love her.”
Tied at 50 apiece before the start of the fourth quarter, the Terriers seemed as if they could pull out the win. They had shot 46.2 percent from the floor in the third quarter, while Lehigh only drained 30 percent of its shots.
However, that trajectory did not unfold, as BU succumbed to Lafayette’s persistence and overall play. Leopards forward Ashley Lutz, after a first half in which she only scored two points and grabbed four rebounds, completely took the game over. The Sudbury native ultimately grabbed 21 points and seven rebounds in the second half, as the Terriers had no answer for her.
Out of nowhere, Lafayette somehow bested the Terriers mark of 37.5 percent shooting in the fourth quarter by going for 57.1 percent on 2-of-6 shooting. Steding credited the Leopards for tinkering with their lineup until they found the right combination to help make the comeback possible.
“First of all, I think [Lafayette] found the right combination,” Steding said. “Once the ball went slightly to one side and back inside, we let somebody roll right into us.”
Steding also noted the height difference in the paint that Lafayette benefitted from.
“They’re flat-out bigger than us inside, and as soon as they got it there, it was sort of all over,” she said.
Saturday didn’t bring forth a desirable result for BU, but as a team, it has nonetheless made marked improvement from the early stages of its season.
Saturday’s matchup was the second one in as many games that was exciting until the very end, and after being handed a 71-56 loss at the hands of the Leopards in January, Steding is seeing the progress that she’d like for her team to be making.
“The tricky thing about progress with a young team like this is that it doesn’t always result in a W,” Steding said. “We’ve been much more consistent in our efforts in practice and in games. I think we’re aware of what we need to accomplish. Sometime it plays itself out at a different level. Sometimes we meet with success, and sometimes not.”
After two memorable home contests, BU will look to notch its first road win of the season when it travels to Washington D.C. to take on American University.
