Black Bears first for Terriers

Now the real fun and games begin.

After three early-season tournaments, including road trips to Nashville, Tenn., and Dallas, the Boston University women’s basketball team will begin its America East conference schedule tonight when it hosts the University of Maine at The Roof. And while the Terriers faced some stiff competition the last three weeks, it is their 18-game conference schedule that will make or break their season.

“I’m pleased going into December,” said BU coach Margaret McKeon. “We’re beginning to play a little better and have a better understanding of what we’re supposed to do. I think that this week will be the real test.”

Alas, this has not been a pleasant matchup for the Terriers in the past. Maine leads the all-time series, 28-14, and has won the last five meetings and 14 of the last 16 dating back to 1993. Last year, the Black Bears won by seven in Orono, by 14 at The Roof, and by 21 in the quarterfinals of the America East tournament. Senior forward Alison Dixon is the only member of the current team that has experienced a win against Maine.

The Black Bears come to The Roof with a record of 2-3. In their last game on Saturday, the Bears dropped a 74-71 decision to Stephen F. Austin University. While they come in averaging 63.6 points per game on offense, they are one of the conference leaders in scoring defense at 68.2 points per game.

Last season, Maine went 20-11, including a 14-4 mark in conference play. That was good enough to earn the Black Bears an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament, where they lost to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. But they have a new coach in Sharon Versyp, and graduation losses have left the Black Bears with only one senior, guard Kizzy Lopez. According to McKeon, they have also changed their defensive strategy.

“In years past, they played a lot of matchup zone, and they lived and died by that,” McKeon said. “Now they play more man-to-man, half-court traps, and 2-2-1 full-court traps. On offense, they still like to pound it inside to their post players.”

When the Terriers take the court, expect their focus to be on Lopez, who now finds herself as the go-to player after being a role player the past several years.

“[Lopez] was a very good role player for them last year,” McKeon said. “She can take you inside and post you up, and she can take you outside and hit a three. She can also beat you off the dribble. She’s someone that we need to be aware of.”

On a lighter note, junior guard Pilar Verde returned to action this past weekend, albeit only in garbage time of a blowout win over the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. McKeon plans to give Verde more minutes tonight.

“Pilar was able to play this weekend, but I didn’t want to mess up our rotation,” McKeon said. “I’m going to have to get her into the lineup.”

So, in the words of boxing referee/television judge Mills Lane, “Let’s get it on!”