Heading into the 2021-22 season, expectations for the Boston University men’s basketball team couldn’t be higher.
With opposing Patriot League coaches tabbing the Terriers as preseason favorites to win the 10-team league, Javante McCoy being named the Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year and Walter Whyte getting selected to the Patriot League’s All-Conference Second Team, the Terriers are primed to return to their 2020 form — a season where they clinched a conference title and an invite to the March Madness Tournament.
While the Patriot League poses its fair share of opponents, all the preseason hype has put head coach Joe Jones in the challenging position of getting his team ready for not only the competition but an even steeper test — the start of games against hungry opposition in front of fans.
Last year, the COVID-19 policies made things difficult for the Terriers. But now that some of these obstacles are being lifted, the team will see a return to normalcy. There will be fans back in the stands, masks will no longer need to be worn on the floor and Jones could not be any happier for this transition back to normal.
“I am just happy for our players and our fans around the country to get back to some normalcy,” Jones said after a recent practice at Case Gymnasium. “Last year was really challenging on a lot of levels. For players not to have their family members and friends be able to come and watch them play live, it stinks.”
After coming off an NCAA Tournament berth in the 2020 season, BU finished the following season with an overall record of 7-11 and a record of 6-10 in the Patriot League.
BU’s squad will enter this season with the same starting unit as last season. With most of the team returning, Jones is banking on the team’s chemistry to play a major role in 2021-22.
“There’s no guarantee that guarantees wins, you still have to go out there and play well enough to win,” said Jones, now in his 11th season. “But let’s hope the experience factor is something that is beneficial for us because we have been through a lot together. As a group, we’ve overcome a lot.”
Jones knows he has challenges ahead and stresses that the Terriers must improve on defense to be successful. Last season, BU finished sixth in defense after finishing second in 2019-20.
“That was shocking to me, honestly. I didn’t see that coming.” Jones said. “We are trying to improve in that area, and I think our guys know this year that we want it. If [our defense] doesn’t come back, we won’t be holding that trophy at the end of the season.”
Despite finishing last in defense, the team had two Patriot All-Defense selections. Sukhmail Mathon, a 6-foot-10 forward, is back this season after putting together an all-defensive campaign and guard Jonas Harper returns after earning all-defensive honors, leading the team with 20 steals and 1.3 steals per game.
The keys to success for the Terriers will be playing strong defense, continuing the development of McCoy — a 6-foot-5 guard who averaged 16 points per game last season — having their main core back, and the team’s bench, an asset that Jones said could very well be the most important.
“A lot of people want to talk about the core guys … but I think it’s important to note that if we don’t get our bench where they can consistently impact the game and help us, I don’t know how good we are going to be,” Jones said.
After starting the season 0-1, BU will play its first home game at Case Gymnasium on Nov. 12 vs Gordon College.
