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Week of 20 February 1998 |
Vol. I, No. 21 |
Sports
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BU's final home game pits Terriers against first-place DelawareGame Preview by Brian Fitzgerald The men's basketball Terriers, who are 9-6 in their conference, have put together some impressive streaks this year. To wit: five victories in a row in the month of February, including two straight on the road. And their 21 straight home conference wins, dating back to last season, have left opponents dreading visits to Case Gymnasium. Delaware, which is in first place, knows that BU is dying to avenge the Fightin' Blue Hens' 68-64 victory in the Bob Carpenter Center on January 24. Historically, Delaware has a difficult time in Case Gym. A year ago the Hens even blew a 51-38 lead there, losing in overtime, 79-72. Over the years BU has posted a 126-50 record at
Case Gym, which was nicknamed "the Roof" at the
beginning of this season. How important is home
advantage in the conference? BU defeated America
East power Drexel there, 69-62, on January 18,
despite the fact that the Terriers were playing
without an injured Joey Beard (CAS'98), one of the
league's top frontcourt players. But 11 days later
BU lost at Drexel 80-73, even though Beard was back
on the court.
It's been an up-and-down season for Boston University, leaving fans to wonder if the Terriers can repeat as conference champions. However, BU has been on fire lately, reigniting embers that were thought to be stamped out by Northeastern on February 3, when the Huskies beat the Terriers at Matthews Arena and left BU with a 5-6 conference record. The Terriers are fortunate in playing five of their final seven games at home, but catching first-place Delaware (12-4 in the conference) depends on continuing their winning streak and on Delaware dropping its final two games. If the Fightin' Blue Hens hang onto first place, they will have a devastating advantage in the America East tournament, which they will host. And the conference's championship game will be played on the home court of the team with the highest seed in the tournament -- it's possible that Delaware might not have to leave the hen house in postseason play. "Good teams win on the road," read a sign in the New England Patriots locker room in 1994. Bill Parcells, then the team's head coach, posted it there late in the season, and those words of wisdom helped inspire the Patriots to earn their first playoff appearance in eight years. Needless to say, the Terriers have been devastating at Case Gym. They were 10-0 in there last year. But lost in the hubbub of Boston University's home heroics is the fact that BU began that magic season with 11 straight road games and won 8 of them. Indeed, tough teams win both home and away games. In the next two weeks, in order to earn another bid to the NCAA Tournament, BU will probably have to do both. |
Athletes of the Week
Chris Drury, Billy Beal, and Jamie Nicholls
Men's hockey cocaptain Chris Drury (CAS'98) knew his team needed a spark after BU's post-Beanpot letdown against UMass-Lowell February 13. He had two assists that game, but the Terriers, outchecked and outscored, lost to the River Hawks, 5-2, at home and were facing the same team the following night at Tsongas Arena.
Drury's answer February 14 was two first period goals and then another in the third period, giving the Trumbull, Conn., native his seventh career hat trick and helping BU turn the tables on UMass-Lowell, 5-1.
Men's basketball guard Billy Beal (CAS'99) scored 22 points in BU's 70-69 victory over Maine February 12 -- his 20th, 21st, and 22nd coming in the form of a three-point shot with six seconds left. Beal, from Alexandria, Va., hit four three-pointers in that game. He also scored 11 points in BU's 79-66 win over New Hampshire on February 14.
Women's basketball guard Jamie Nicholls (CAS'99) poured in a game-high 28 points, including a trio of three-pointers, in BU's 94-77 upset win over second-place Maine on February 12. Two days later she scored 23 as BU again emerged victorious, over New Hampshire, 66-63. In that game, the Ringwood, N.J., native gave BU its first lead, 48-47 with 10:53 left.
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