The Boston University women’s basketball team may be on a two-game losing streak, but its drought contains a silver lining.
On Jan. 18 against Colgate University, the Terriers (6-13, 4-4 Patriot League) rallied from a daunting 14-point deficit at the beginning of the fourth quarter to force two overtime periods behind six 3-pointers from senior guard Sarah Hope.
Three days later, BU gave Patriot League-leading Bucknell University all it could handle, limiting the league’s lone undefeated squad in conference play to 28 percent shooting in the first half.
Now, hosting Lehigh University on Saturday afternoon, the Terriers will look to overcome their recent struggles and earn their first win since Jan. 14 over Loyola Maryland.
BU’s previous bout with the Mountain Hawks (6-13, 1-7 Patriot League), a thrilling 69-64 victory on Jan. 2, showed the heart of this Terriers team. Facing a 61-46 hole with just under five minutes remaining in regulation, the Terriers exploded for an incredible 23-3 run, which capped off a 37-point fourth-quarter.
Freshman forward Nia Irving led BU to victory with a breakout 26-point, 10-rebound performance.
“We did not execute our offense sharply in the first three quarters,” said BU head coach Katy Steding said. “I did not feel that we were tight on our game plan defensively.”
The Terriers dominated Lehigh in the post in their previous meeting, a trend that will need to continue if they are to sweep the season series. 38 of BU’s points came in the paint, compared to just 24 for the Mountain Hawks.
Junior center Sophie Beaudry has been stellar of late, with three straight 20-point performances preceding her 15-point, five-rebound outing against the Bison (16-3, 8-0 Patriot League). She currently ranks in the top 10 in the Patriot League in both points and rebounds per game, while her average of two blocks per contest is best in the conference. Expect the Terriers to feature Beaudry early and often as the focal point of their offense.
“[Beaudry] has good timing and she has those long, long arms,” Steding said. “She is developing a sense for how to play in the Patriot League. [The conference has] a lot of spot-up shooters, but when we take that away, they are putting it on the deck and attacking the middle. Sophie is there to really help us change shots and to block shots. She is a very gifted athlete. We are trying to make the most of everything that she brings to the table, not just offensively.”
In addition to Beaudry, senior guard Courtney Latham also scored in double-digits in the victory over Lehigh with 10 points. However, Latham’s passing skills make her a staple in the rotation, as she averages 30.4 minutes per game, second behind Hope’s 36.6.
With 3.6 assists per game, Latham ranks third in the Patriot League. With the Mountain Hawks yielding 65.2 points per game, the fourth-worst mark in the conference, Latham should have many opportunities to create for her teammates on Saturday.
Defensively, BU must attempt to contain Lehigh guard Quinci Mann. She ranks fourth in the Patriot League with 15.4 points per game and has proven herself as a threat from the outside. Mann poses a substantial threat to the Terriers embattled defensive front, which ranks ninth in the conference with 65.3 points allowed per night.
“We need to have all five people dialed in and effective and understanding their roles right away in order to execute our defensive game plan [on Saturday],” Steding said. “[Lehigh] is dangerous.”
