It was one of those nights where the negative aspects of the Boston University women’s basketball season were just not present.
It came at the perfect time, as BU soundly defeated Northeastern University, 73-58, at The Roof last night in its last regular season game before next week’s America East conference tournament.
In her final home game, senior co-captain Alison Dixon scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds in what was probably her finest performance of the season. In front of a group of friends and family that made the half-hour trip from her hometown of Norwood, Mass., the center led the Terriers in a dominating performance that saw them avenge an earlier loss to their cross-town rivals.
Freshman forward Katie Terhune scored 20 points, junior forward Dia Dufault scored 12, and junior guard Annie Tomasini added 10 off the bench for the Terriers.
As good as the offense was, the defense was truly the reason for BU’s strong showing. The Terriers forced 22 turnovers, 19 of which came on steals. Tomasini and Dufault each picked off five, while Terhune and sophomore guard Alison Argentieri each stole four balls.
A slow start was not a problem for the Terriers, as they quickly rebounded from a 5-0 deficit, going on a 19-5 run over the next six minutes. BU finished the half with an 11-point lead over Northeastern with Terhune leading the way with 12 points and Dixon adding eight.
“We started off the game a little rocky the first minute or two, but we definitely settled down,” Dixon said.
After a weak performance in the opening half, the Huskies came out and played worse, giving the ball up repeatedly to the Terriers. BU extended its lead to 19 on a Dixon layup with 8:50 left in the game.
In the second half, Dixon took over her final performance in a white uniform. She scored 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 from the line after the intermission. Dixon also added two blocked shots to contribute to the Terriers’ defensive effort.
“We played tough defense and got loose balls,” Dixon said. “We really played as a team.”
Indeed, it would be a hard task to find another game in recent memory that saw four Terriers score in double digits. The offensive balance is important for BU as it heads into the America East playoffs against Hofstra University.
But last night was not a night for looking to the future. It was a night to celebrate the career of one of the greatest players ever to put on a scarlet and white jersey for the women’s basketball program. Dixon appropriately stepped up and delivered — something that did not surprise her coach.
“[Dixon has] done it night in and night out,” said BU coach Margaret McKeon. “You’ve got to tip your hat to her — it’s something she’s worked hard for.”
This is the perfect time for Dixon and the rest of the Terriers to heat up on the offensive end. The team will need at least a third scoring option against Hofstra. And Dufault, who was second on the team in scoring last season, may be the answer.
However, there is no doubt that this is still Dixon’s team, and everyone involved knows that.
“We’ve been running some things where she can get moving and get into something of a comfort zone,” McKeon said. “That’s why we’re scoring more points, and Ali’s getting shots on the block.”
Last night’s game was the final chapter of Alison Dixon’s Case Center career, but she hopes that she can lead the Terriers to a successful America East playoff run, extending her career to a possible NCAA tournament berth.
Dixon summed it up best, “I’ve had a wonderful experience here. I’ve made wonderful friends and I’ve played for good coaches. I have no regrets. I would have loved to win a few more games, but I’ve definitely had a great experience here.”
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