Basketball, Sports

Women’s basketball looks to snap skid against Lehigh

Junior Payton Hauck notched 10 points the last time the Terriers played Lehigh. PHOTO BY JOHN KAVOURIS/ DFP FILE PHOTO

The Boston University women’s basketball team has lost five games in a row and dipped all the way to ninth in Patriot League Standings. The Terriers (8-12, 3-7 Patriot League) now face Lehigh University at Case Gym Saturday afternoon in search of their second conference win at home.

BU most recently played the Mountain Hawks (12-9, 6-4 Patriot League) on Jan. 8 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and could not come away with victory as Lehigh won 74-58. This loss started a poor streak for the Terriers, who went on to lose five out of their following six matchups.

During these trying times, it has been difficult to keep the locker room in high spirits.

However, BU head coach Katy Steding said she is proud of how her players have kept their own morals high.

“I think one of the good things about our team is they keep the morale up themselves,” Steding said. “They are a very resilient group. It has been a tough stretch, especially with some really close games. I tell them that they key is to keep plugging away and get better every day. I am really proud of how they reacted.”  

In the previous contest of the season, the Mountain Hawks were propelled by a huge second quarter, which proved to be the difference in the contest. Lehigh outscored BU 26-10 in the second, and ended it on a 12-0 run.

The Terriers and Mountain Hawks scored the same amount of points as one another in each of the other three quarters.

A layup by junior guard Payton Hauck with 5:13 to play in the second quarter cut the Lehigh lead to four. Those would be the last points of the half for BU, as five turnovers and three missed field goals later, the Terriers found themselves down 16.

BU allowed Lehigh to shoot an astounding 63 percent in the first half, while the Terriers shot only 37 percent.

The first half has been a problem for BU as of late. In its last three games, they have been outscored by seven or more in either the first or second quarter.

Steding said she is looking for her team to start quicker so they don’t have dig themselves out of holes so often.

“It starts with the right amount of focus and making sure that we concentrate on the little details that we know we can take care of,” Steding said. “Whether it’s finishing at the rim or just making sure we are playing our defense and knowing the opponent’s personal and playing them appropriately.”

Leading the way in the win against the Terriers, as she has for most of the season, was senior guard Quinci Mann. The Oakland, California native had 21 points that night and shot 8-for-12 from the field and 5-from-8 from three.

That was a particularly strong game for Mann,  as she averages 14.3 points per game, still enough to lead the Mountain Hawks.

Second in command for Lehigh is sophomore guard Camryn Buhr. In the victory over BU, she had 18 points and seven assists. Her seven assists was a season high and the 18 points exceeded her average of 13.1 per game.

The Mountain Hawks have struggled away from Bethlehem this season, as their 3-7 record on the road does not compare to the 9-1 mark they have at home.

For the Terriers, Hauck is coming of one her best games of the season. She scored 14 points in the defeat to Bucknell University, her highest since she tallied 23 against the United States Military Academy.

Hauck currently leads BU in shooting, with a .504 field goal percentage.

In addition, senior guard and captain Corrine Williams has been another bright spot during the recent struggle for the Terriers. During the losing streak, the guard is averaging 12.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

Steding said she is hoping that Williams, along with the rest of her upperclassmen, can help bring the team out of its funk.

“It is really critical that they provide strong leadership,” Steding said. “It’s critical that they provide that guidance and that steady hand to the younger because the younger players need to know that we can get through this.”

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