Hoping to extend its four-game winning streak, the Boston University men’s basketball team will take on American University at Case Gym Wednesday night.
The Terriers (14-11, 7-5 Patriot League) are coming off an overtime victory over Lafayette College and are in the midst of some of their best basketball of the season. In a four-way tie for second place in the conference, long gone are the days when season-ending injuries and frustrating performances were the norm.
Rather, through a balanced rotation of guards and big men, the Terriers are striking chords in the paint, from 3-point range and on the glass. Head coach Joe Jones, who has preached all season long that kinks would iron themselves out, said BU’s rich vein of form is easily explained.
“You can’t have guys coming in and out of your lineup every week and think you’re going to have any continuity,” Jones said. “Finally, we’ve had more continuity. The big thing is guys are stepping up and making plays. They’re doing things that good players do, that smart players do, that seniors do.”
While BU lacks the depth of other Patriot League teams, a core group of players has emerged as a consistent threat on both sides of the ball. Senior forward Nathan Dieudonne averages nearly a double-double, as he brings down 8.1 boards a game and drains 10.7 points each contest.
Meanwhile, Dieudonne’s classmate, guard John Papale, makes 40 percent of his 3-point shots and sinks an ever-steady 82.8 percent of his free throws. Last but not least, sophomore guard Cheddi Mosely and junior guard Eric Fanning both have the potential to take over a game, as they average 14.5 and 13.7 points per game, respectively.
With that sort of diversity in mind, Jones said he feels “good about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it,” and is conscious of players rising to the occasion.
“That’s the big thing — to have guys that aren’t afraid to make plays, that are confident they can come back from significant deficits,” Jones said. “We have those types of things going on, and it’s just fun to watch the kids get out there and have a never-give-up attitude.”
Turning the page, American (7-16, 5-7 Patriot League) has teetered along a precarious line all season long. It lost 10 games straight at one point, but is 5-1 in its last six games, the most recent being a 72-49 loss at the hands of Lehigh University.
Despite the rough-and-tumble nature of the season, Jones was quick to point out that it’s not symptomatic of the program head coach Mike Brennan has erected over the years. After all, American advanced to the 2014 NCAA Tournament and lost in the Patriot League Tournament’s championship game last year.
“They needed time to develop their identity and what they’re about,” Jones said. “That just takes time. Coach Brennan has done a remarkable job. With his team, it’s not surprising that they’ve caught their second gear, so to speak. They’re a much better team than we played a month ago.”
As Jones alluded to, these two teams met earlier this season in a game resulting in a 61-50 BU win. The Eagles were led on that day by senior Jesse Reed and freshman James Washington, and it’s likely that’ll hold true again Wednesday night, as they average 12.3 and seven points per game, respectively.
Given the trajectory of both teams, Jones expects a tightly contested affair to unfold at Case Gym. American may be in the conference’s bottom half and BU may be jostling for a top seed, but that isn’t going to dictate the Terriers’ commitment to the task ahead.
“We’re not really focused on where we are in the league standings,” Jones said. “We’re not focused on that. We’re just more concerned with doing the right things, playing good basketball and trying to get better.”
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
