When the university you attend is a large research institution in the middle of the city, it can be difficult to find a place to call your own. Certainly such places do exist. Walk around Mugar long enough and an empty desk will appear with your name on it. Having somewhere to identify with ‘-‘- no, something that isn’t shared with thousands upon thousands of other people at various points in time ‘-‘- isn’t just comforting, it’s refreshing.
Well, I’ve found a place to call my own: The Roof during a women’s basketball game.
I know, I know. Case seats 1,800 people. What would happen if people showed up for a women’s basketball game? It’s OK, there’s no such risk. The last time The Roof was even one-third full for a women’s game was January 2007.
In all seriousness, people don’t show up to see the women’s basketball team play, which is a shame. If you haven’t heard, Christine Kinneary and the Terriers simply don’t lose at The Roof. Tuesday night’s victory over Harvard marked the team’s 16th consecutive win at that venue, including a number of thrilling contests.
Consider last year’s epic conference championship game preview showdown versus Hartford. You get a free pass if you missed this one ‘-‘- it was played over Winter Break on Jan. 5 ‘-‘- but it was an instant classic. The Terriers began their first conference game sluggishly, granting the America East powerhouse Hawks a 16-point lead, but things changed in a hurry.
A 19-4 BU run closed the gap to one before Kristi Dini hit a 3 to give the Terriers their first lead with just 1:25 remaining. The lead stretched to four, but a Hartford 3 and a missed free throw by Aly Hinton gave the Hawks a transition opportunity. The final sequence was YouTube-worthy: After Lisa Etienne’s shot fell to give Hartford a one-point advantage with six seconds left, Dini threw up a prayer from halfcourt ‘-‘- and it was good. Game, blouses.
Not every game at The Roof is filled with magical moments. Sometimes the women just show up ready to take care of business. Take Tuesday, for example, when BU scored the game’s first 15 points en route to an 80-61 victory. Or how about this season’s home opener? Kinneary dished out eight assists with just one turnover in that one, as the Terriers cruised to an 84-61 win against Siena.
Coach Kelly Greenberg’s team can beat an opponent any number of ways, but most of them involve pushing the pace. On offense, the Terriers employ a number of weapons, all of whom are ready and willing to run the length of the floor for a transition basket. It’s not just the guards finishing on the fast break: BU’s forwards can be found going to the basket and cleaning up under the hoop should a layup or transition jumper rim out.
Transition opportunities start with turnovers. Since BU’s offense is geared up for the fast break, it makes sense for the Terriers’ defensive approach to emphasize creating fast-break opportunities. BU is currently forcing more than 19 turnovers per game ‘-‘- and it shows on the scoreboard. The Terriers had 10 more points off turnovers than Harvard on Tuesday and 14 more than Brown’ last Wednesday.
So why don’t people show up to watch the women’s team? No other Terrier winter team plays at such an electrifying pace relative to its peers. No other Terrier winter team is as likely to produce a victory on its home court. Where is the downside?
Going to a hockey game instead? Well, there is no instead to consider, because hockey ‘-‘- men’s or women’s ‘-‘-‘- has not played on the same day as women’s basketball yet this year. You can have your cake and eat it, too. Not only that, but because the women’s basketball team has been a virtual lock to win at home, the cake will also be celebrating a win, so you can have candles. Maybe even trick candles.
Speaking of hockey, the best part of attending a women’s basketball game might be how different it is from attending BC-BU at Agganis. Sure, there’s nobody in Case to see the Terriers beat up on a non-conference foe on a weekday night ‘-‘- although if you bring a thousand of your closest friends, that can be changed. But that’s just it: Being at a sporting event virtually by yourself is a beautiful thing.
Terrier hockey is great. It’s a historic program, it’s the face of the university and it provides great entertainment for the fans ‘-‘- but unless you’re one of a select minority, men’s hockey can never be your team the way women’s basketball can be. There’s nothing else quite like it.
Watching the Terriers on the court without thousands of screaming fans to share it with, you get the sense that the event is yours to experience ‘-‘- like it was meant for you specifically. Christmas is coming up, but that’s a better gift than I could ever expect to receive.
Happy Holidays.
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