Terriers Host Hartford in AE Showdown
January 20, 2009 | Women's Basketball
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BOSTON - In a crucial match-up of the remaining two undefeated teams in America East play, the Boston University women's basketball team (10-6, 4-0 AE) will welcome defending conference champions Hartford (8-7, 3-0 AE) to Case Gym on Wednesday (Jan. 21) at 7 p.m. The Terriers enter Wednesday's night showdown riding a five-game winning streak, while the Hawks have posted three consecutive wins.
THE TERRIERS: Boston University, which is on a season-long winning streak of five games, leads the America East in three categories - field goal percentage (.416), free-throw percentage (.727) and turnover margin (+2.75). The Terriers' offense has been on a tear lately, posting 74.4 points per game and outscoring its opponents by an average of 9.2 ppg during its five-game winning stretch. In the last four-straight contests, BU has won by at least 11 points and has now posted 80+ points in five games this season.
Leading the way in the frontcourt is senior Jesyka Burks-Wiley, who is in the midst of the best offensive season of her collegiate career. She is averaging 17.7 ppg, which is good for second in the conference, and 7.1 rpg, ranking fifth. She has posted at least 20 points on eight occasions and recently matched a career-high 24 points against New Hampshire (Jan. 17). Joining Burks-Wiley in double-figure scoring are classmates Christine Kinneary (12.1 ppg) and Kristi Dini (11.9 ppg).
THE HAWKS: Hartford is riding a three-game winning streak, as it opened its conference slate with victories over Binghamton, Maine and UMBC. The squad is shooting .397 from the field and .328 from behind the arc, while going .664 from the free-throw line. Diana Delva is the team's leading scorer with 12.4 points per game and is shooting an impressive .600 from the field, which is tops in the America East, while Erica Beverly is leading the squad in rebounding with 7.3 rpg - good for third in the conference.
BU VS. HARTFORD: The Terriers and Hawks have a long and storied history together and in recent years the teams have only added to it, meeting in three of the last four America East championship games, including last year's game in West Hartford, Conn.
BU leads by a slim 26-25 margin in the all-time series history. In 2007-08, Kristi Dini's game-winning, half-court buzzer-beater lifted the Terriers over the Hawks, 62-60, in the conference opener and the Hawks responded with a 61-54 win at Chase Arena a month later. In the postseason, BU made a thrilling ride to the championship game, which included a double-overtime win against Vermont, however, the Hawks came out victorious with a 62-45 triumph to earn their fourth title.
The series began in the 1985-86 season when the Terriers rattled off 13 consecutive victories. Hartford earned its first win of the series on Feb. 2, 1991 - a 60-48 decision. The Hawks won the three of the next four games before BU put together a string of four straight wins. From Jan. 4, 1996, to Jan. 21, 2001, Hartford won 10-of-11 games. The Terriers started the 2000's winning 7-of-11 contests; however, in recent history, the Hawks have become a power in the conference and taken the past 10 out of 11 meetings with the Terriers.
BURKS-WILEY SIX BOARDS AWAY FROM 500: Senior Jesyka Burks-Wiley is just six rebounds away from joining an exclusive club of BU women's basketball players who have surpassed 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
1,000-point, 500-rebound Terriers:
Debbie Miller '81 - 1,869 points, 1,198 rebounds
Alison Dixon '01 - 1,648 points, 695 rebounds
Jill Sosnak '95 - 1,430 points, 828 rebounds
Andrea Ashuk '89 - 1,348 points, 681 rebounds
Julie Schmidt '95 - 1,346 points, 592 rebounds
Adrienne Norris '05 - 1,112 points, 765 rebounds
Annemarie Olson '94 - 1,078 points, 559 rebounds
Jesyka Burks-Wiley '09 - 1,007 points, 494 rebounds
CLASS ACTS: The Terriers' senior class of Jesyka Burks-Wiley, Kristi Dini, Christine Kinneary and Amarachi Umez-Eronini need nine more wins this season to become the all-time winningest class in program history. They currently own a .583 winning percentage over four seasons - the best in 19 years - with a 63-45 record.
The class of '90 was 71-42 (.628), recording the most wins over a four-year period at BU. Lynn Bay, Renee Doctor, Marjorie Haney, Lynne Ranando and Tia Theriault were members of that class.
KINNEARY HANDOUTS: Senior Christine Kinneary is 24 handouts away from breaking a 28-year-old record for career assists. The record is currently held by Debbie Miller (`81), who had dished out 477 over her four years.
If Kinneary maintains her 4.6 assists per game, she could surpass Miller's record halfway through the conference season. She currently ranks third all-time and needs just 12 more to break into the top five in America East history. She is one of only three BU women's basketball players to surpass 400 helpers.
START YOUR ENGINES: In 2008-09, how the Boston University women's basketball team begins a game has been indicative of how it finishes. When the Terriers lead at the half, it has been an impressive 9-0, however, when they trail at halftime they are 1-6.
BURKS-WILEY JOINS THE 1,000-POINT CLUB: With a lay-up at 17:13 in the second half of the Terriers' 79-62 victory over UNH on Saturday, senior Jesyka Burks-Wiley became the 17th player in Boston University women's basketball history to surpass 1,000 points. Burks-Wiley, who is having the best offensive season of her four-year career, is second in the conference with 17.7 points per game.
UP NEXT: BU will hit the road for the first time in over two weeks when it travels to Orono for a 7 p.m. tip-off with Maine on Saturday (Jan. 24) evening.
