2007-08 Women's Basketball Season Preview
November 5, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 5, 2007
BOSTON - When the 2007-08 Boston University women's basketball team takes to the court for the first time on Nov. 10 at Siena, fourth-year head coach Kelly Greenberg knows one thing: this team is committed to win.
"`Commit to win' is our motto this year," stated Greenberg. "The players and coaches have been committed in every way by doing the little things like working hard, showing up on time and looking out for each other. We are committed to do anything we can to put us in a place to win when we start games."
BU is committed to avenging its early departure from the America East Conference tournament, when the team fell to Binghamton, 63-58, after the Bearcats used a 21-7 run to earn the come-from-behind victory. The Terriers will be looking to return to the championship game it had become accustomed to playing in. Prior to 2006-07, BU had appeared in four consecutive title games.
The Terriers finished 15-15 overall and 7-9 in America East action last season, and senior Katie Meinhardt earned All-Conference Second-Team honors and the inaugural AE Fans' Choice Player of the Year accolade. Sophomore Aly Hinton was named to the conference all-rookie team, after a promising freshman campaign during which she averaged 8.8 ppg and 6.3 rpg.
Leading the talented crop of returning players as this year's captains will be seniors Kasey Devine and Cheri Raffo, along with junior Christine Kinneary.
"We are very excited about our captains for this upcoming season," said Greenberg. "The three of them have been working extremely hard and have really contributed to creating a healthy, competitive environment. They each bring something different, and I am looking forward to working with them on a daily basis. We have high expectations for the 2007-08 season, and Kasey, Christine and Cheri are more than ready to set the tone for our squad."
In addition to Devine, Raffo and Kinneary, Greenberg returns Corinne Jean to round out the senior class.
"I think we have a great group of upperclassmen," Greenberg continued. "We have three seniors who are very different in Kasey, Cheri and Corinne. They are all very hard workers, each of them has been here three years and has a lot to offer the younger players. Certainly, Christine is our vocal leader and our emotional leader as well."
Greenberg believes the mix of the upperclassmen's experience and the underclassmen's promise will create a competitive training environment for everyone.
"I think there is a good balance," said Greenberg. "I really feel like our upperclassmen have been around our system. We have some experience, but we also have some good youngsters with Aly [Hinton], Kristen [Folk] and the freshmen."
FORWARDS
Devine, who returns for her final season as a Terrier, will guide the forwards. While the 6-3 native of West Warwick, R.I., missed the first seven games of last season due to illness, she came back to appear in the final 23 contests of the 2006-07 campaign and post 96 points, 15 blocks and 10 steals. She is currently eighth in the record books for career free-throw percentage (.751)
"Kasey is our returning post senior," stated Greenberg. "She has been great for three years. Unfortunately, she has had a lot of injuries, but I really feel she realizes it is her senior year and is going to fight through it. I think she is going to step up and have a wonderful season."
The Terriers also return sophomore Kristen Folk, a 6-4 center, who saw action in 22 games last year, including her memorable collegiate debut against Rhode Island, where she scored 11 points and brought down 10 rebounds for the Terriers' first double-double of the season. She went on to average 3.4 ppg and 3.2 rpg. Folk returns to Boston more mobile after her summer training.
"Another five-player for us is Kristen," commented Greenberg. "Obviously her size is going to work for us. She has really trained in the spring and summer and has shown an increase in her strength. If she keeps it up, like she has in the last six months, she could really help us."
Greenberg will have two great options at the four position with junior Jesyka Burks-Wiley and Hinton. Burks-Wiley struggled through the first part of the season with a nagging knee injury, but had a triumphant return to the court against No. 12 Arizona State on Dec. 1, scoring 11 points, adding seven rebounds and one steal in 15 minutes of play. By the end of the season, Burks-Wiley averaged 4.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg. With time to recover, Greenberg expects Burks-Wiley to return to her freshman form, when she hit her stride at the conference tournament and earned America East All-Rookie Team honors.
"They both offer something totally different," she added. "Jess is coming off a year where she battled injuries and did not have the sophomore year that she or I expected. I think it is going to be a challenge to Jess' character in how she responds in her junior year. I think she has the talent and the ability to really dominate the America East."
Hinton established herself as a go-to player early in her collegiate career with her court presence and went on to receive America East All-Rookie Team accolades as a unanimous pick. She was one of three Terriers to start all 30 games in 2006-07 and ranked fourth on the team with 8.8 ppg. She had arguably her best game of the season against Vermont on Feb. 7 when she recorded a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds - her second double-double of the season.
"Aly had a great freshman year," noted Greenberg. "She just needs to come back and do the same thing. If she continues to be solid, take care of the ball and rebound, she will be a great contributor like she was last year."
Joining the front court will be freshman Kerry Cashman (Newfields, N.H.), who completed her four-year career at Exeter averaging 15.6 ppg and 10.8 rpg as a senior. She had a decorated career at Exeter, capping it off as a nominee for the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball team as a senior.
"Kerry has already shown signs of being a great addition to our front court," stated Greenberg. "She is physically strong and relentless on the boards, and she knows if she rebounds on both ends of the court she will get serious time. Kerry is going to add something to the front court that we have not had in a couple years, and we are really excited about it."
GUARDS
"Right now, we are pumped up about our guards and feel we have a great nucleus," noted Greenberg.
At the heart of that group will be returning senior and tri-captain Cheri Raffo. The Morristown, N.J., native has been a source of stability for the Terriers since she arrived in Boston prior to the 2004-05 season. The resilient guard has not missed a start in three years and by season's end has a chance to rank among the Terriers' all-time minutes leaders. She has seen action in 2,786 minutes and averaged 30.6 mpg over 91 contests. She needs just 131 minutes to crack the top 10.
"It all starts with Cheri," noted Greenberg. "She is really putting herself in a great position to have a fantastic senior year. She has had a great career here so far, and she has the work ethic and the drive to lead us."
Joining Cheri in the back court is Jean. Despite not seeing much action as a junior, Greenberg expects Jean's `lead-by-example' leadership style to provide the Terriers with guidance on and off the court. A coach's player, Jean has all the tools to provide BU with another scoring threat.
"Corinne has shown the coaches that she has a lot of maturity," said Greenberg. "I feel like her experience - not so much in minutes on the court - here shows that. She does everything a coach asks. I really hope she gets an opportunity in her senior year to play."
Adding to the depth of the back court is Kinneary. She is an emotional leader and will guide the guards along with Raffo. The Plainedge, N.Y., native played in all 30 games in 2006-07 - starting 13 - and led the team with 92 assists.
"Christine is someone we look to for leadership and awareness on the court," said Greenberg. "We have big plans for Christine. A lot of our plans for the team run through her."
BU's 3-point specialist last year, Kristi Dini, will return to Case Gym for her third season. Dini asserted herself as a sharp shooter with good range last year leading the team in 3-point percentage (.381). She currently sits at the top of the BU career records for 3-point percentage (.397) over two seasons. On Dec. 17 against St. John's, Dini came within one 3-pointer of tying then-teammate Katie Meinhardt's single-game record of seven. In that contest, she set a new career mark for points (24) and field goals (8).
"Our junior guards all offer something totally different," noted Greenberg. "Kristi had a great summer of basketball. She has worked hard and tried to add to her offensive game. She is really expecting a lot from herself. She had a wonderful sophomore year and has a lot to build on."
Junior Amarachi Umez-Eronini provided a spark off the bench last year with her energy and ability to invigorate her teammates on the court. In 29 games, she recorded 19 steals, 24 assists and 155 points (5.2 ppg).
"There is no question she is our energizer," exclaimed Greenberg. "Defensively she can create havoc, so we are really hoping to plan some things around her this year."
Freshmen Kat Briggs (Georgetown, Texas) and Krystyn McIntyre (Waverly, Pa.) will look to get playing time on the court alongside the talented crop of guards. Both guards are connected to either former or current Terriers. Briggs played at Georgetown High School, the same alma mater as recent graduate Erica Kovach, while McIntyre played with Folk at Scranton Prep.
At Georgetown, Briggs was a four-year starter and was a three-time first-team all-district, All-Williamson County First Team and all-state honoree.
"Kat is definitely going to get some minutes this year," said Greenberg. "She is very solid, she takes care of the basketball and has a work ethic that is second to none. We really think she is going to have a good freshman year."
McIntyre averaged 14.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg and earned Lackawanna League First Team All-Star honors, as well as Lackawanna League MVP status as a senior. She also helped the team to a league championship as a junior.
"Krystyn has a great work ethic and is already competing with the girls," said Greenberg. "Her attitude has been a nice addition to the squad."
SCHEDULE
The coaching staff has put together a competitive schedule that will challenge the Terriers as they prepare for the America East conference slate. BU will also be featured in two televised games during the season, as the Feb. 6 game at Albany and the Feb. 23 contest at Vermont will be aired on TW3 - a Time Warner affiliate in Albany - and CN8, respectively.
Following the season-opening contest at Siena, the Terriers will return to Case Gym for the first of three home games. The home opener will include BU and Atlantic 10 opponent Rhode Island on Nov. 13, followed by Big Ten member Ohio State on Nov. 17 at Agganis Arena. Three days later cross-town rival Northeastern will make an appearance at The Roof.
On Nov. 23 the Terriers will travel south to participate in the UNC-Greensboro tournament. On the first day of competition, BU will face host UNCG and either UNC-Asheville or North Carolina A&T on Nov. 24.
The Terriers will host one more non-conference game, UMass on Nov. 28, before hitting the road for a six-game stretch. The first of the six away games will take place on Dec. 1 at St. John's, followed by Brown on Dec. 5 and Harvard on Dec. 11.
The Terriers will take part in the Virginia Commonwealth University tournament from Dec. 27-28. In the holiday tourney, BU will open with Georgia Southern, and face either Morgan State or host VCU the next day. The Terriers will conclude the non-conference portion of the schedule at Kansas on Dec. 30.
In January, BU will open its conference slate with Hartford on Jan. 5 and will host Stony Brook (Jan. 19), UMBC (Jan. 30), Vermont (Feb. 2), Binghamton (Feb. 13), Maine (Feb. 19) UNH (Feb. 27) and Albany (March 8).
"We are really excited about our early games. We have a couple of geographical match-ups with teams we have played over the last two years like Northeastern, Brown and Harvard and we were able to add UMass, which we are very excited about," said Greenberg. "We also have Ohio State here at Agganis Arena, which is a top-five program, coming into our place. That does not happen too often. That will be a great challenge for us. We are also playing the Atlantic 10, the Big 12 and the Colonial Athletic Association. We are excited because we want to compete with a number of conferences."
