Terriers Face A Tough Husky Test

The Boston University women’s basketball team has only five games left this season, and those games are more important than any others in recent memory. The Terriers begin the homestretch tonight, away from home, but not too far, as they travel down the E-line to face off with the Huskies of Northeastern University.

The Terriers (13-9, 6-5 America East) currently sit in a three-way tie for fourth place in the America East, sharing that spot with the University of Maine and the University of Hartford. BU enters the game at Matthews Arena against the Huskies (5-18, 3-9) with a lot on the line.

Coach Margaret McKeon and her squad are staring up in the standings at the likes of the University of Vermont and the State University of New York at Binghamton. With the conference tournament only a few weeks away, seeding is of the utmost importance.

Coming off a tough loss last weekend to the University of New Hampshire, BU still finds itself in a positive situation the rest of the way. Except for a March 2 date at the University of New Hampshire, the Terriers will play only teams currently ranked below them or even with them in the standings, including a matchup this Saturday at SUNY-Albany, which is winless in the conference.

But the Terriers cannot look past the Huskies, even though the Huskies have just three conference wins. The last time these two teams met was Jan. 20 at Case Gymnasium, when the Terriers disposed of Northeastern, 76-63.

That game was highlighted by a career-high 35-point effort from sophomore Terrier Katie Terhune. With a win tonight, the Terriers can guarantee the first winning season in the tenure of McKeon, and the first winning season in seven years.

In the January win, sophomore Courtney Jones added 13 points, while the rebounds were spread evenly among the 10 players who got time on the floor. Terhune pulled down six boards, while four other players had four apiece.

While the Terriers won by 13 against Northeastern in January, the Huskies did present a balanced scoring attack, with four players in double figures and another with nine points. The Huskies boast a very young lineup. The team carries only three seniors and three juniors, and only one of those six players, junior forward Lori Newsome, played in the game against BU.

The Terriers also have a young lineup, which has proven itself to be deeper in recent games. Terhune has had to take on less of the scoring load lately as the Terriers have developed more of an inside presence. The freshman duo of Larissa Parr and Adrienne Norris has shown its force inside — and outside as well — each earning a consistent spot in the starting lineup.

This game is a good starting point for the Terriers as they conclude the season, playing on the road, but not too far from home. While the thinking could be that the young nucleus of players would be a disadvantage this late in the season, even the seniors — not to mention McKeon — have never been in this kind of stretch run with so much on the line.