Men's Basketball Visits Harvard Saturday Afternoon
December 10, 2010 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 10, 2010
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BOSTON - Seeking its fifth straight win at Lavietes Pavilion, the Boston University men's basketball team visits crosstown rival Harvard Saturday with action slated to begin at 2 p.m. Picked to finish second in the Ivy League preseason poll, the Crimson (6-2) marks the seventh opponent for the Terriers (4-6) to be coming off a postseason bid.
The two programs have met 60 times since 1904-05 and during each season since 1991-92 with Harvard holding a 33-27 all-time record. The Crimson snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Terriers last season with a 78-70 win at Case Gym. In the game, BU had a depleted bench due to injuries and had all five starters play at least 33 minutes each. They led by as many as nine in the second half, but Harvard took advantage of the tired legs in the final minutes and finished with an 18-6 run to pull out the win.
This season, even with the absence of last year's starting center Jeff Pelage due to injury, second-year head coach Patrick Chambers has developed more balance with seven Terriers averaging at least 22 minutes per game and another two adding eight minutes each. In Thursday's 84-81 loss to Atlantic 10 member La Salle, he received major contributions from freshmen Dom Morris and D.J. Irving.
A 6-foot-7 forward, Morris tallied a season-high 15 points along with a team-high eight rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. In the last two games, he has recorded 25 points after posting the same amount combined in the six preceding contests. He currently ranks fourth in rebounding at 4.9 rpg. The speedy 6-foot-0 guard Irving had a strong performance as well against the Explorers, recording 11 points and five assists. He leads the team in assists with 28 and is second in steals with 13.
The two men went a combined 5-for-5 from beyond the arc against La Salle, as the Terriers hit a season-high 13 3-pointers. Draining four in the second half, senior John Holland is now second all-time at BU in career treys with 205, though is a far distance from former teammate Corey Lowe's ('10) 313 made 3-pointers. Junior Jake O'Brien contributed two as well and is now just 37 points away from reaching the 1,000-point milestone.
They will look to help the Terriers defeat a Crimson squad that has already earned home wins over Colorado and Fordham while coming close to knocking off Michigan (65-62) on the road. Sophomore guard Christian Webster leads the Crimson in scoring at 16.4 ppg, while junior forward Keith Wright is close to averaging a double double with 15.5 ppg and 8.6 rpg. Guards Oliver McNally and Brandyn Curry are averaging a combined 8.9 assists per game for an offense that is outscoring opponents by 8.8 ppg.
Saturday's contest could come down to who has the hotter hand, as both teams like to attempt 3-pointers. Shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point territory, Harvard is averaging 8.8 made baskets, while the Terriers are averaging 8.3 per game on 34.7 percent shooting. Both teams have defended the perimeter well, with BU holding opponents to 30.6 percent and the Crimson allowing only 31.3 percent.
Following BU's second contest against an Ivy League school after an earlier win over defending champion Cornell, the Terriers will focus on exams and then host Saint Joseph's on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at Agganis Arena on NESN.
