2008-09 Women's Basketball Season Preview
November 12, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2008
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BOSTON - Following a 20-win season - the program's first in 20 years - and an exhilarating ride to the America East title game, which included a double-overtime victory in the semifinals, the Boston University women's basketball team has a lot to build from in 2008-09. Head coach Kelly Greenberg and her coaching staff return eight letter winners and three starters, which bodes well for the this year's edition of Terrier basketball.
In 2007-08, BU avenged its early departure from the previous year's conference championship with its run through the America East tournament, where it defeated UMBC and Vermont en route to its third appearance in the title game in the last four seasons. Although the Terriers fell to host Hartford in the finals, BU was able to stake a claim as a member of the upper echelon of the America East Conference.
BU finished the year with a 20-12 overall record and an 11-5 mark in the conference and placed three student-athletes on the America East All-Conference teams. Jesyka Burks-Wiley earned second-team all-conference honors, while Christine Kinneary was named to the third team and Amarachi Umez-Eronini was an all-defensive team selection.
Looking forward to this year, BU hopes to continue to protect its home court and remain undefeated at Case Gymnasium, where it has not lost a game since Feb. 21, 2007. In addition, BU aims to finish at the top of the America East standings at the end of the regular season and follow through with a conference championship.
At the heart of this season's team is the senior class, which consists of Burks-Wiley, Kinneary, Umez-Eronini and Kristi Dini. Each has seen significant time on the court over the past three years and brings a unique brand of leadership that gives the underclassmen four distinct personalities to look to for guidance.
Co-captaining the squad will be Burks-Wiley and Kinneary. "These two young women have been a huge part of our program the past three years, and it is only fitting that they represent our team," said Greenberg. "Christine and Jes have set the tone for this year's club. We have high expectations for their senior year, and we are looking forward to getting started."
Blending in with the established upperclassmen is an exciting mix of youthful talent that has already impressed Greenberg and her staff with their blue-collar work ethic. Coming into preseason in great shape and ready to go allowed for the squad to get down to business and prepare for the season.
FORWARDS
Burks-Wiley, who returns as the team's leading scorer (13.2 ppg) and rebounder (5.8 rpg), has emerged to lead the frontcourt. She finished the 2007-08 season fourth in the conference in scoring and free throw percentage, in which she currently ranks third all-time in the program annals. She posted a career-best 21 points at St. John's on Dec. 1 and recorded double figures in 24 games. The Kansas City, Mo., native not only produces impressive numbers on the court, but she is also an emotional leader for the Terrier squad.
"Jes is one of our leaders and is extremely focused on this year's team," said Greenberg. "This year she has set some individual and team goals that are no-nonsense. She knows what she wants, and she is out to get it. She is in the best shape she has been in and is pushing herself to be a good role model for the underclassmen."
Joining Burks-Wiley up front is junior Aly Hinton, who was the team's top free-throw shooter last year after hitting 62-of-73 (.849) shots from the charity stripe. She had a breakout performance against Northeastern on Nov. 19 when she poured in 35 points against the Huskies to become the first Terrier since Katie Meinhardt on March 11, 2005, to score 30 or more points in a contest. It is also tied for fourth all-time for the best scoring performance in a single game in school history.
"Aly has had two great years with a lot to build on in her junior year," noted Greenberg. "I think once Aly realizes how good a player she is, she can be one of the best players in our conference. Her ability to play inside and outside, as well as her passing game, gives us a lot to work with."
Junior Maggie McKemie will be suiting up for the first time as a Terrier after transferring to BU in the fall of 2007 and sitting out the season due to NCAA transfer rules. McKemie came to BU from Furman, where she was the team's leading rebounder as a sophomore and second in steals.
"Maggie brings us a different kind of energy; she is always moving and she has a great knack for the ball in the rebounding department," said Greenberg. "She is another personality that is going to give us a lot. She plays extremely hard and we are excited to have her in uniform this season."
Giving the Terriers size and a strong presence on the boards is returning sophomore Kerry Cashman. Cashman, who saw action in 22 contests as a rookie, missed games in 2007-08 due to injury but returns to The Roof healthy and ready to contribute.
"We have high expectations of Kerry," said Greenberg. "With the loss of Kasey Devine, we are not that tall so we are looking for Kerry to fill that true center position. She was hurt last year, so she did not get the experience we were hoping as a freshman, but she has worked extremely hard this summer and is in great shape and knows what she has to do on a daily basis."
The lone rookie in the front court is Caroline Stewart, a local product out of Topsfield, Mass. At Masconomet Regional High School, Stewart was a two-time Boston Herald All-Scholastic and Cape Ann All-League honoree. As a senior, she was a McDonald's All-America nominee and a Wendy's Heisman Award candidate.
"Caroline can shoot out and go inside and mix it up," noted Greenberg. "We are excited to have a local flavor on the team. She is a hard worker and may put herself in position for some minutes."
GUARDS
Anchoring the Terriers' backcourt is Kinneary. She had a phenomenal junior year where she broke single-season records for assists (214) and minutes played (1,201), while finishing third nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.68). In addition, she ranked eighth in the country in assists per game (6.7) and tied a single-game school record for assists (14). Kinneary was a finalist for the America East Fans' Choice Player of the Year and a third-team all-conference selection.
"Christine is a born leader and directs the team in so many ways," said Greenberg. "She gets the team going. She is a hard worker and expects it from everyone else. Christine has high hopes for this year and we are going to channel those expectations along with our team's goals."
Standing alongside Kinneary is Umez-Eronini, who had a breakout season as a junior. A defensive stalwart, she was able to disrupt opposing offenses with her speed and tenacity. She led the team in steals (58) and was named to the America East All-Defensive team at year's end. In addition, she upped her offense in 2007-08, averaging 8.4 ppg and shooting .445 from the floor.
"Amarachi is our silent leader," observed Greenberg. "No one works harder everyday. She will exhaust herself until she has to come off the court because she is so tired. Amarachi has a quiet way about her, and I think that really adds to our senior class."
Dini will return as a perimeter player and the Terriers' 3-point sharp-shooter. In one of the most memorable highlights in recent memory, Dini drained a half-court buzzer-beater that lifted BU over Hartford and helped to keep the squad undefeated at Case Gym.
"Kristi is our 3-point weapon and continues to add to her game," said Greenberg. "Obviously everyone thinks of that shot against Hartford when they think of Kristi Dini, but I think for this year her goal is to be very consistent and be that person we can turn to on a daily basis."
Sophomores Kat Briggs and Krystyn McIntyre will be the other returning veterans in the backcourt in 2008-09. Briggs saw action in 17 games and this upcoming season will be looked upon as a shooting guard as well as someone who can play the point.
"Kat is a combination guard," said Greenberg. "I can see Kat working really well with Christine, and she can really shoot the ball. With practice in full swing, Kat is learning to balance both positions, which is going to help her get more time."
In her first season in the scarlet and white, McIntyre was able to get minutes against UNC Greensboro and Stony Brook after walking on to the team in the fall.
Joining the talented crop of guards is freshmen Kasie Carbacio, Lily Ramseyer and Alex Young. Carbacio comes to BU following a standout career at Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, W.Va., where her squad went undefeated in all four seasons. In addition, she was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior and a three-time all-county honoree.
"Kasie is a shooting guard who might also play some point for us," said Greenberg. "She is a real hard worker and a great addition."
Hailing from Hickory, N.C., Young will be a go-to guard who may contribute immediately on the floor. In each of her four seasons at St. Stephen's High School, she guided the squad to the state playoffs and was the team's leading scorer in each campaign. She was a four-time all-conference and all-region team member as well as the conference's Player of the Year as a junior and senior.
"Alex gives us a nice all-around package," noted Greenberg. "She has the ability to be a point, as well as a shooting guard and the size to be a three. She can do a little bit of everything."
Completing the freshman class is Ramseyer - a walk-on - who was a senior captain of her Garfield High School team in Seattle, Wash., despite suffering a season-ending injury.
THE SCHEDULE
As has been the case for the past several years, the coaching staff has compiled an impressive and competitive schedule that will challenge the Terriers as they gear up for the America East. The non-conference slate is highlighted by November tournaments at a pair of Big Ten schools - Ohio State and Iowa - and four home contests at The Roof, including a match-up with Big East foe St. John's.
Iowa, Ohio State, Marist and Hartford all earned bids to the NCAA tournament as the Red Foxes and Hawks each received their respective conference's automatic bid and the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes earned at-large berths to the Big Dance. The Terriers match-up at Ohio State on Nov. 29 in addition to facing Iowa (Nov. 22) and Marist (Dec. 13) on the road.
Following the season opener at Rhode Island on Nov. 14, BU will return to the confines of Case Gym to host Siena on Nov. 20.
Two days later, the Terriers will begin a five-game road stretch, traveling to Iowa, the Big Ten's 2008 regular-season champion, for the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge. On the first day of the tourney, BU will face the Hawkeyes before taking on either Portland or Providence on day two.
After a quick detour to Northeastern on Nov. 25, BU closes out the road stretch with the Buckeye Classic on Nov. 29-30. On the first day, the Terriers match up with host Ohio State, which finished in the AP Top 25 last year, with Dayton and Central Michigan as potential second-day foes.
BU will play host to Ivy League opponents Brown (Dec. 3) and Harvard (Dec. 9) before traveling to Marist on Dec. 13. The Red Foxes won their third straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship in 2007-08 and advanced to the NCAA Second Round. On Dec. 30, BU will host St. John's - a 2008 WNIT quarterfinals participant - before closing out its non-conference slate at Massachusetts on Jan. 2.
In January, BU will begin its quest to return to the America East championship game for the sixth time in seven years when it travels to Stony Brook on Jan. 7. The Terriers will welcome Vermont (Jan. 10), New Hampshire (Jan. 17), Hartford (Jan. 21), UMBC (Jan. 28), Stony Brook (Feb. 11), and Albany (March 7) to Case Gym and will play two games at Agganis Arena - Binghamton on Jan. 14 and Maine on March 1.
"We have a good number of NCAA tournament caliber teams on our schedule," said Greenberg. "Our team knows we are going to be smaller. As we go in against some of these teams, we are going to have to be all about work ethic and being in great shape. We are excited to have these opportunities and see how we stand against some of the country's best."
To purchase season tickets for women's basketball, please visit AgganisArena.com, call 617-353-GOBU (4628), or visit the Agganis Arena Ticket Office, located in Boston at 925 Commonwealth Avenue and open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Individual game tickets can be purchased here.
