STORRS, Conn. — The last time the Boston University women’s basketball team took the floor against the University of Connecticut, in 2003, Katie Meinhardt was just a freshman fighting to stay in the Terriers’ starting lineup. Despite being named the America East Rookie of the Year that season, Meinhardt couldn’t make her way into the starting five for the Terriers’ NCAA Tournament first round game against the top-ranked Huskies.
But Meinhardt showed that she had a lot of ability for just a freshman that day, putting up six points and two steals in 29 minutes against the eventual national champions.
Fast forward to last night. This time, Meinhardt led the Terriers in scoring against another powerful UConn team that has a legitimate shot at a national title. The senior captain scored 12 points for the Terriers, shooting 5-for-15 from the field and 2-for-6 from three-point range in 29 minutes.
“I think Katie’s experience helped her,” said BU coach Kelly Greenberg. “Katie’s one of those people that is unfazed by who we’re playing.”
Unfortunately, Meinhardt’s calmness couldn’t extend to the rest of her teammates, many of whom came out looking hesitant and intimidated by the big stage of UConn’s Gampel Pavilion.
“I think it’s more of a one-shot deal,” Greenberg said. “I don’t think anyone else’s experience can help someone else for the first time.”
“In the first half, we definitely didn’t come out doing what we wanted to do,” Meinhardt said. “I’m guessing big game jitters. We were definitely nervous, especially the new girls.”
Even Greenberg had not experienced the big stage against UConn. When the Terriers lost 91-44 against the Huskies in the NCAA Tournament, Marget McKeon was BU’s head coach. Greenberg acknowledged that UConn was the toughest team she has faced during her tenure at BU, but said, “It doesn’t matter who we play.”
Both Greenberg and the rest of the young Terriers got a taste of what Meinhardt went through in 2003 during their 84-51 defeat last night.
“The atmosphere was the same,” Meinhardt said. “This gym is always packed, the fans always come.”
But this UConn team was not nearly the same one that defeated the Terriers three years ago. That 2003 National Championship squad was led by all-everything guard Diana Taurasi, who put up game-high totals of 21 points and seven assists against the Terriers in 2003.
“I still don’t think there’s any player in women’s basketball quite like Diana Taurasi,” Meinhardt said.
That team was led by its guards who shot 11-of-25 from the floor compared to this year’s team that shot 4-of-11 from outside the arc. The Huskies, a young team with no seniors on the roster, are now led by their front court. But they aren’t as talented or experienced as that 2003 team, which gave BU some hope going into the game.
“This year we knew we could do more against them,” Meinhardt said.
One factor BU couldn’t deal with was UConn’s size. The Terriers were outscored in the paint 44-10 and out-rebounded 52-26.
“Their front line is big and athletic,” Greenberg said. “They’re difficult to match up with.”
If there was a silver lining for the Terriers, it was the play of freshman forward Aly Hinton, who held her own against a world-class frontcourt. Hinton logged 30 minutes against the Huskies, pulling down a team-high six rebounds while scoring two points, dishing out three assists and recording two blocks.
“I thought she was awesome,” Greenberg said. “She didn’t play scared.”
The parallels between Hinton’s performance last night and Meinhardt’s play in 2003 against UConn are hard to ignore. In 2003, Meinhardt played well in her freshman year against UConn and went on to a very successful career in a Terrier uniform, now ranking 10th among all-time scoring leaders in school history.
That game against UConn showed the quality of the player she would eventually become. The Terriers are just hoping that Hinton’s play against the Huskies is also indicative of future success for her in scarlet and white.