The start of 2020 marked the beginning of Patriot League play for both BU basketball teams.
Both teams went into winter break on a downward spiral; the men lost five in a row before winning on Dec. 14, and the women also dropped consecutive games before earning a victory on Dec. 21. Both teams, however, were able to get back into the win column before heading into conference tilts on Jan. 2.
Men’s Basketball (10-9, 4-2 Patriot League)
The men have gotten off to a solid start in Patriot League play this season. The Terriers opened 2020 with a win against Lafayette College at Case Gym, a loss at American University in the nation’s capital and then ripped-off three straight wins before losing to the reigning Patriot League champions, Colgate University, on Jan. 18.
BU head coach Joe Jones said his team is coming together and improving as a unit.
“I feel we’re coming together as a team,” Jones said. “I feel like our guys are committed to what we’re asking them to do on both ends of the ball. I think they have a growth mindset. They’re trying to get better. They’re a true team.”
Heading into Wednesday’s game against United States Naval Academy, BU sits tied with the Midshipmen for second place in the conference.
Over the break, the Terriers have been anchored by sophomore guard Walter Whyte and junior guard Javante McCoy.
Whyte has averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds since conference play has opened. McCoy has been on fire since New Year’s with 13.7 points while shooting 47 percent from the field.
Jones said McCoy has bounced back from a tough start to the season, but now he has earned the team’s trust and the offense now moves through him.
“[McCoy] didn’t get off to a strong start in terms of what he’s capable of doing,” Jones said. “He’s started to play more on the ball, he’s our best decision maker on the perimeter and we’ve put the ball in his hands more.”
Last season ended in a tough loss to Colgate in the Patriot League quarterfinals, but the Terriers are in good position this year to avoid a road playoff game this season.
Jones said the biggest challenge going down the final month and a half of the season is balancing school and basketball without getting burned out in either respect.
“It’s a long year, it’s a mental and physical grind,” Jones said. “We had a month of just playing basketball, now we have to go back to being ready and competing in the classroom … now [the players] will be challenged to make sure they’re getting the right sleep, eating the right way and doing what they’ve got to do as a student.”
Women’s Basketball (8-9, 3-3 Patriot League)
BU’s women’s basketball has gotten off to a similar start as the men. The Terriers lost the first game of conference play at the buzzer to Lafayette, bounced back with a win at home against American and went 2-2 over the next four games to bring them to fifth place in the Patriot League standings.
BU head coach Marisa Moseley said her squad has shown flashes of their true potential.
“[There were] maybe two or three quarters where we [were] the team we know we can be, and [we] can be really dominant in the league,” Moseley said. “We’ve been a little bit inconsistent.”
The Terriers have been carried by junior guard Katie Nelson, who has assumed the role of the iron woman of the team. Nelson averages 38.9 minutes per game for the Terriers and has played all 40 minutes in 10 different games this season.
Despite playing the majority of minutes, Nelson’s offensive production never wavers. In the Terriers’ first six Patriot League contests, she is averaging 12.2 points per game against conference opponents and ranks fifth in the conference with 14 points per game across the entire season.
Moseley said Nelson’s competitiveness keeps her on the court for the majority of games and allows her to dominate.
“I think she’s an ultimate competitor and really wants to win,” Moseley said. “Our team goes how she goes … when she’s got that really determined look in her eyes, I get excited because I know that she’s ready to take over.”
Last season, BU hosted its first-ever Patriot League quarterfinal game at home, but fell to Holy Cross 72-70 in a close game. Close losses have haunted the Terriers in similar fashion this year, and Moseley said finishing games is the focus point of the team down the stretch.
“We’ve talked about finishing plays, finishing games,” Moseley said. “We’ve just got to continue to work at making those extra plays. Getting loose balls, getting rebounds, those types of things.”
