Nov. 12, 2009
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BOSTON - Kicking off its 101st season, the Boston University men's basketball team opens on the road under new head coach Patrick Chambers at Iona Friday night with action set to begin at 7:30 p.m., marking the first season opener on the road since visiting then-No. 1 Duke in the 2005 Preseason NIT. A unanimous No. 1 pick in the America East preseason coaches' poll, the Terriers return their top six scorers from last year's 17-13 squad,
Leading the Terriers will be preseason all-conference honorees John Holland and Corey Lowe. The tandem combined for 1,041 points last year and became the third BU duo this decade alongside Chaz Carr/Rashad Bell (2005) and Carr/Jason Grochowalski (2004) to earn First Team All-America East honors in the same season. The junior Holland recorded 543 points, becoming the first Terrier since Tunji Awojobi in 1997 to score over 500 in a season, while the senior Lowe currently ranks 10th all-time in the BU record book with 1,334 points.
Other men expected to be major contributors include seniors Scott Brittain, Tyler Morris and Carlos Strong along with sophomores Jake O'Brien and Jeff Pelage. Both guards Strong and 2007 AE Rookie of the Year Morris suffered season-ending injuries before the start of conference play but are back healthy and ready to go. Strong is the BU record holder for made 3-pointers in a game with eight, while injury-plagued Morris looks to recapture the magic of his freshman year in which he averaged 13.4 ppg.
A 6-8 forward, O'Brien will look to build upon his 2009 AE Rookie of the Year campaign, in which he led all of the league's freshmen in scoring at 12.5 ppg while also averaging 4.6 rpg. A 6-9 center, Pelage provided valuable minutes last year with his best performance coming at home against Maine with a double-double.
Currently ranked eighth in the BU record book with 68 blocks and only six rebounds shy of 500, the 6-9 forward Brittain will not dress for Friday night's game, as he is still recovering from a concussion suffered during a Fall practice session. Senior forward Valdas Sirutis, along with freshman guard B.J. Bailey and senior guard Sherrod Smith will look to provide quality minutes off the bench in his abscence.
The Terriers face an Iona squad that finished 12-19 last year with a 7-11 mark in MAAC play for a t-7th finish. The Gaels lost two of their three top scorers but have four starters returning on a young squad that has nine of the 14 players being underclassmen. Sophomore guard Scott Macado averaged 9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 4.8 apg, while senior guard Milan Prodanovic had 6.9 ppg and 2.2 rpg.
BU leads the all-time series, 3-2, after winning the ESPNU BracketBuster match-up last season at Case Gym, 63-57. Holland tallied 24 points in the win, while Jake O'Brien added 17, including 14 in the first half. The Terriers led 56-55 with 6:20 remaining and held Iona without a field goal the rest of the game to pull out the victory. They are currently 59-37 all-time against current MAAC schools.
Following the contest, BU returns home to host George Washington at Agganis Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in a NESN/RCN broadcast.
