Chaz Carr’s 1,000th career point as a member of the Boston University men’s basketball team was about as anti-climactic as possible.
At Binghamton University on Sunday, with his team ahead by 15 points in the final two minutes of what would eventually be the Terriers’ 12th straight win, the junior guard from Manchester, Conn. calmly swished the first of two free throws to reach the scoring plateau.
Carr himself may not have even realized the accomplishment when it happened.
“It was a good experience for me,” Carr said Wednesday. “But, I didn’t really dwell on it too much.”
So the scene wasn’t set for Hollywood, but Carr would probably prefer to have it that way. Soft-spoken and always humble, the junior said he began the season wanting to surpass the mark, but he of course had a greater prize in sight.
“To get 1,000 points in my junior year was one of my goals – along with winning it all,” he said.
And all season long, Carr has credited his teammates for his success – averaging 13 points per game and being named America East Player of the Week twice – while keeping his main focus on winning.
BU coach Dennis Wolff praised Carr’s team-first approach.
“He got 1,000 points being about as unselfish a player as I’ve ever coached,” Wolff said. “And he’s about as unassuming a good player as you’re going to have.”
Just like his milestone free throw was on Sunday, Carr’s play this year hasn’t been so much show as it has just been solid. The Terriers’ most consistent scorer this season, Carr has hit double-figures in 22 of 27 games, including the last 10 of the regular season – a span in which he averaged 16 per contest.
“He’s a terrific player,” said senior guard Kevin Fitzgerald. “I can say that he’s one of the most talented guys that I’ve ever played with.”
Manchester High School’s all-time leading scorer with 1,273 career points, Carr said his game has translated from high school to the college level.
“I took more shots in high school,” Carr said jokingly. “Everybody [that plays college basketball] was ‘the man’ in high school, you know. But I would say I was very similar to what I am now – I created, I took shots and I played hard defense.”
Carr didn’t miss a beat progressing from Manchester High to BU, leading the team in scoring as a freshman (13.5 ppg) and piling up honors with spots on the All-Conference second team, the All-Rookie Team and the All-Tournament Team.
During his sophomore year, Carr had to cope with the death of his father Greg. The senior Carr passed away in the middle of the season, forcing Chaz to miss an early January game against Binghamton so he could attend the funeral. Understandably, his on-court production decreased (7.2 ppg).
“He had an off-year, but I attribute that to some things he had to get worked out off the court,” Wolff said. “He tried very hard, and he had some moments, but he wasn’t able to consistently play at the same level.
“But this year, he’s back to the level he was at as a freshman – only he’s playing better,” Wolff added.
Fitzgerald agreed with Wolff, saying that he expected Carr to come back refocused.
“I know last year he didn’t have the type of season that he wanted, but we all know how capable he is,” the senior co-captain said. “He’s just a great player.”
And this season has been especially sweet for Carr, who, on top of regaining his freshman form and leaping over the 1,000-point hurdle, leads a team that has won 23 of its last 24 and is striving for a second NCAA Tournament appearance in three years.
Carr, though, with his successes and struggles, has stayed humble through it all.
“We have a great team,” Carr said. “To be leading in a couple categories and being able to be out there and help my teammates, it’s just a blessing.”