2002-03 Men's Basketball Outlook: Terriers Stand Tall
November 1, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Last year, the Boston University men's basketball outlook was entitled "Top Dogs", as the Terriers were returning all 12 players from an experienced squad and were expected to challenge for supremacy in the America East Conference. The Terriers met every challenge, along the way claiming a share of the regular-season title, winning the league tournament championship, and making their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance.
Head coach Dennis Wolff, who signed a new seven-year contract before this season, has emphasized to his charges that now, after a successful season, is not the time to rest on their laurels.
"Following up on a season like we had last year presents certain challenges," said Wolff, who is in his ninth year at B.U. "The players have expectations about doing better, and the coaches have expectations that there are other goals these guys can accomplish. The task ahead of us is to coordinate what everybody wants to accomplish, and turn it into another successful season.
"I don't know if I've coached any year at B.U. that I've been in a position to return as many of the significant players as we have this year. They have shown that they are hungry to improve, both individually and as a team."
The only thing that has changed entering the 2002-03 campaign is that even more is expected from a team that achieved nearly every goal it set before last season. Similar to last year, the Terriers welcome back the bulk of their offensive production - the top eight scorers are back. In addition, Matt Turner, who was redshirted after missing all but six games after a shoulder injury, will be returning.
Defensively, the team will attempt to make up for the losses of Ignacio "Nacho" Rodriguez, Stijn Dhondt, and Mark Michalek to graduation. Wolff knows that the Terriers have improved over the past three seasons from a team with seven wins to a conference champion due in large part to toughness on the defensive end.
"The challenge of the frontcourt is to be able to replace the toughness and team-oriented nature that both Stijn and Nacho brought to the table," Wolff said. "They both were guys who did a lot of dirty work. This year, we need to find the guys who are going to play gritty - rebounding, taking charges, and playing hard-nose defense."
It was that gritty play that allowed the Terriers to finish 10th in the nation in field goal defense at 39.0 percent last season.
"We're not an overly athletic team, but we dig in and fight defensively," Wolff said. "Historically, that's been something we could always hang our hat on at B.U., and we would be disappointed if that didn't continue."
BACKCOURT PREVIEW
As far as the coaching staff is concerned, there are only positives when it comes to the Terriers' roster make-up in 2002-03. With Turner returning to the court, the team's backcourt depth is greatly improved.
"We are probably as deep and as talented at the guard positions as we've been in the eight years that I've been here," Wolff said. "Our backcourt is such that we have three proven guys in my mind."
Junior Kevin Fitzgerald started every game at point in his first two seasons at B.U. and will resume that role this year. The tri-captain led the America East in assist-to-turnover ratio last season at 2.52, and like any strong point guard, scored and defended well when called upon.
"Kevin has proven to be a winner," Wolff explained. "He doesn't knock anybody out statistically, but I think he's earned the respect of the league's coaches because he knows how to play, and he does what's needed in different game situations."
Meanwhile, the shooting guard position is solidified by Turner and Chaz Carr. Carr had one of the best freshman seasons in B.U. history. He was a Second Team All-Conference and All-Rookie Team performer last season after having the third-highest point total for a B. U. freshman with 433. After Turner went down six games into last season - after averaging 17.5 points and shooting 50 percent from behind the three-point line - Carr took over for the remainder of the season and nearly matched Turner's numbers.
"At this point in his career, Chaz hasn't shown us that there is a ceiling to what he can accomplish on the court," Wolff said.
Carr was the ultimate combo guard last year, starting at shooting guard and spelling Fitzgerald at the point on his way to leading the team in minutes played. That roll will continue this year, although with Turner's presence those minutes may be more evenly distributed between the two guard spots. Carr must have impressed the league's coaches last year, as he was named preseason All-Conference this season.
After being named to the America East Preseason All-Conference Team last year, Matt Turner proved that he could sustain a high level of play - at least until he suffered a left shoulder injury in early December that cost him the remainder of the season. The junior tri-captain's resumé of putting points on the board is well known, and he enters this season expecting to pick up where he left off last year.
"Matt has had some spectacular games and some spectacular stretches in the past two years but has been plagued by injuries," Wolff said. "This season, we're expecting him to have the type of complete season we believe he's capable of having."
Adding size to the Terriers' backcourt mix is Paul Seymour. At 6-foot-6, the senior will see time at both the off-guard and small forward positions. After coming off stellar seasons in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns, the former America East Rookie of the Year struggled to find his touch last year. After averaging 12 points per game in his first two seasons, his scoring average dropped to 6.4 last year. Despite his shooting woes, Seymour improved as the season progressed.
"He has been a very effective player in his time here," Wolff said of Seymour. "He fought his way out of a slump that stretched from the end of his sophomore year to the middle of his junior year. By the end of last year, he was back to playing the way we thought he was capable."
Joining Carr as a strong combo guard is freshman Shaun Wynn. The talented 6-foot-2, 195-pound Brooklyn, NY native will add quality depth to the backcourt with his ability to play both the point and shooting guard positions.
FRONTCOURT PREVIEW
Headlining the Terrier frontcourt this season is senior Billy Collins. Collins is a versatile 6-foot-7 forward who is coming off a banner season in which he averaged 12 points and 8.1 rebounds on his way to America East All-Conference First Team honors. In addition, he posted the program's highest single-season three-point shooting mark, hitting 48.2 percent of his three-pointers.
Before the start of the season last year, nobody pounded the pavement on Collins' behalf more than Wolff, who claimed "people haven't had a chance to see what Billy can do." After a career beset by injuries, Collins finally proved that he could play consistently, finishing among the league leaders in nearly every statistical category. He further proved his mettle by earning the league championship's Most Outstanding Player Award - with a broken left wrist.
"Billy had an MVP-type season for us last year," Wolff said. "He did a little bit of everything to contribute to our success - he scored, he rebounded, and he defended."
Collins and his nose for the ball will be a key to filling the defensive gaps left by the departure of last year's seniors. Similar to last year, he'll play a number of positions this year - from shooting guard to power forward. Additional proof of Collins' worth to the team is the fact that he was named a team tri-captain - for the third straight year. He joins Carr as a preseason All-Conference selection this year.
Probably the biggest surprise of last season was the emergence of Rashad Bell. The America East All-Rookie Team forward introduced himself to the league with a career-high 21-point performance against Stony Brook and never looked back. Over the last half of the season, Bell, who broke into the starting lineup in early February, averaged 10.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. He tallied only 2.4 points and 1.4 boards during the first half. Bell proved himself as a versatile big man with a good shooting touch as the season went along.
According to Wolff, he has the potential to develop as a very good player as he continues to add strength and weight.
"The addition of Rashad, who can play both forward positions, gives us an additional measure of athleticism. Last season, his skill level improved as the season went along. He makes us very dangerous when he's in the game."
Ryan Butt had a strong season last year despite battling through a number of injuries. He earned a spot on the Oneida Bingo and Casino Classic All-Tournament Team on the Terriers' trip to Green Bay in December. He tallied two consecutive double-doubles with 17 points and 15 rebounds against host Wisconsin-Green Bay. He then had and an equally impressive 16-point, 11-rebound effort against Cal-Irvine.
As it has been since his arrival at B. U., Butt's success is dependant on being healthy and staying in shape. If he stays injury-free, then he becomes one of the Terriers' biggest threats both inside and along the perimeter.
A player who helped spark the Terriers in a number of big games last year was Jason Grochowalski. Coming off the bench, he sparked the team from a late 10-point deficit to a two-point win at Maine by scoring 20 points. Later in the season, he tallied 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds against Northeastern in the America East Tournament.
Wolff anticipates that junior Jacob Kudlacz will be able to provide the team with quality minutes off the bench. Last season Kudlacz played sparingly, appearing in 10 games, highlighted by a season-high five-point performance against Stony Brook. Daniel Daccarett will also give the Terriers a big body inside. The junior scored a career-high four points against Cincinnati in the NCAA Tournament.
B. U. will also have the services of 6-foot-9 center Matt Czaplinski, who redshirted the 2001-02 season. As the biggest player on the roster, Czaplinski provides the Terriers with a physical presence in the paint and a player who can effectively block shots. The coaching staff will look to Czaplinski, Daccarett, and Kudlacz in an attempt to shore up the interior defense with the loss of Rodriguez and Dhondt.
Two freshman forwards will compete for playing time in a deep frontcourt this season. Richard Bagby is an athletic 6-foot-7 small forward who has the physical ability to force his way into playing time this year. In addition to All-Prep League honors as a senior at The Collegiate School in Richmond, Va., Bagby was named All-Prep in football as well, garnering the honor for his play as a wide receiver.
Rounding out the Terriers' freshman class is another athletic two-sport newcomer in Kevin Gardner, who earned All-CIF Southern Section First Team honors in both basketball and volleyball as a senior at Peninsula High School in Palos Verdes, Calif. The long-armed Gardner, at 6-foot-8, will improve the Terriers' interior defense with his ability to block shots and play a back-to-the-basket style of basketball.
THE SCHEDULE
Wolff has always made scheduling a priority, and this year is no different, as the Terriers once again play one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the America East Conference. In addition to its America East slate of games, B. U. could potentially face up to seven teams that made postseason tournaments last season.
The Terriers will be making their second appearance in the Preseason NIT, the nation's premier early-season tournament, when they open their season at the Pac-10's Stanford on Nov. 18. A local rivalry is continued on Nov. 26 as Boston College appears on the Terriers' schedule for the second year in a row.
B. U. will travel to Tucson, Ariz. from Dec. 28-30 to play in the Fiesta Bowl Classic. The Terriers open against Florida State of the ACC, and may hook up with another Pac-10 team in Arizona. The Pac-10 champion Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 last year. Southern Conference champion Davidson is another possible second-round opponent.
The Terriers will attempt to avenge tough losses last year in two non-conference home games when they host Columbia on Nov. 23 and George Washington on Dec. 11. Ohio University of the Mid-American Conference makes its first appearance at "The Roof" on Dec. 13.
After playing at BC, the Terriers play road games at Ivy League opponents Dartmouth on Nov. 30 and at Harvard on Dec. 3. B. U. heads to Philadelphia to play the Atlantic-10's St. Joseph's on Dec. 5. A trip to Cleveland for a Dec. 21 date with head coach Rollie Massimino and his Cleveland State Vikings also appears on the schedule.
Not including the 16-team field in the preseason NIT, schools from eight different conferences in addition to the America East appear on the Terriers' schedule. The ACC, Atlantic-10, Big East, Horizon, Ivy, Mid-American, Pac-10, and Southern are represented this season. After the conclusion of the regular season, Boston University plays host to the 2003 America East Championship, to be held at Walter Brown Arena. The championship will begin with the quarterfinals on Sunday, March 9. The semifinals will be held on Monday, March 10. The America East championship game will be played on Saturday, March 15 and aired live on ESPN.
