The Boston University men’s basketball team is hoping Wednesday’s 75-72 comeback victory over Lafayette College can provide some momentum heading into this weekend’s Patriot League showdown.
The Terriers (11-9, 7-2 Patriot League) will host Bucknell University, the Patriot League’s top team, at Case Gym Sunday afternoon.
Bucknell (14-8, 8-1 Patriot League) will enter this matchup having won eight of its last nine games in Patriot League play. Its lone loss came at the hands of BU earlier this season by a score of 84-79.
The Bison boast a high-powered offense that averages 80.6 points per game and ranks within the top-50 in all of NCAA Division I men’s basketball. Bucknell recieves the majority of its offense from two seniors in the frontcourt, forward Zach Thomas and center Nana Foulland.
Thomas leads the Patriot League in scoring, averaging 21 points per game while Foulland isn’t far behind in fifth, contributing 15.9 points per game.
BU head coach Joe Jones said he has been impressed with both of Bucknell’s bigs this season and is wary of how tenacious they both can be.
“[Thomas] is a man-child in this league,” Jones said. “He does whatever he wants out there… He’s a big, physical kid. And [Foulland] is arguably the best center in the league.”
With the physically imposing Thomas and Foulland threatening an epic battle in the frontcourt, the Terriers will need a dominant performance from forwards sophomore Max Mahoney and senior Nick Havener.
Both measuring in at 6-foot-8, Jones believes Mahoney and Havener possess the physical tools to challenge Thomas and Foulland, who stand at 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-10 respectively.
“They’re a handful, and you’ve got to be ready to compete for every inch that you want on both ends of the floor,” Jones said. “You can’t back down, and you’ve got to be ready…”
BU has established a defensive identity predicated upon its prowess in zone schemes.
If the team can stay disciplined and not overcommit, the Bison will be forced to launch shots from the three-point line, playing into the strengths of the BU defense. The Terriers rank third in the Patriot League in limiting opponent’s field goal percentage with a 44.1 percent mark.
Shifting its focus to the offensive end, BU has been led of late by the emergence of freshman point guard Javante McCoy.
McCoy shot a perfect 5-for-5 from the field while making all five of his attempts at the foul line against the United States Naval Academy last weekend, coming away with 16 points on the night.
And while McCoy doesn’t exactly fit the prototypical point guard mold, Jones said he likes what he has see.
“He’s not a typical point guard, he’s more a scoring guard,” Jones said, “But he’s a very talented kid.”
However, Jones maintains that McCoy has a lot of untapped potential, and still needs to time to grow and develop into the dominant scorer that Terrier fans have seen glimpses of thus far.
“He’s got a lot to learn,” Jones said. “He’s got to learn how to compete harder … He’s got such a high ceiling that he’s got to just be hungry to get better.”
Still, despite the rapid growth of the team’s freshman stars, BU will need to rely on the guidance of its veterans.
Throughout the season, BU has received immense support from its senior leaders — guards Eric Johnson and Will Goff stood out in particular to Jones — and a continued focus on building team chemistry will benefit the team greatly moving forward in the second half of Patriot League play.
“I think the underrated thing on our team is the substance of our older guys,” Jones said. “We’re a talented group, but more so, it’s the character of our guys. That’s what’s shining through right now.”
