March 17, 2010
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BOSTON - Competing in the Women's National Invitation Tournament for the second consecutive year, the Boston University women's basketball team (16-14) will take on Big East foe Providence (16-14) at The Roof tonight. The Terriers, who advanced to the WNIT second round in 2009, face the Friars for the first time since 1997.
THE TERRIERS: Despite a youthful roster, the Terriers have exceeded expectations with an influx of new talent this season and impactful contributions coming from their underclassmen. Freshman Chantell Alford, the 2010 America East Rookie of the Year and All-Conference First Team honoree, has had a standout first season in the scarlet and white, averaging 14.9 ppg - second in the America East and 15th in the nation among all rookies. She is a mere seven points away from breaking the BU freshman scoring record, which has stood for nine years and is held by BU's all-time leading scorer Katie Terhune ('04).
Suffering from no sophomore slump is Alex Young, who has averaged 14.5 ppg, and has recorded 20 or more points on six occasions and turned in one of the conference's best individual scoring efforts this season when she drained 33 vs. Brown on Dec. 9. Rookie Caitlynn Moran, who along with Alford was a unanimous AE All-Rookie team selection, has not only been a consistent scorer for BU with 12.5 ppg, but has also been a steady hand in the backcourt with a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio and 4.3 apg. She has played in 1,132 minutes, which ranks third for BU in a single season and only Christine Kinneary ('09) has logged more minutes in a single season (2008-09; 2007-08).
Sophomore Caroline Stewart's game on the boards has surged recently, grabbing double-digit rebounds in seven of the last 10 games, including a career-high 15 boards vs. UMBC on March 5. Senior Aly Hinton is two boards away from surpassing 700 career rebounds and joining three other former Terriers, who have scored 1,000 points and brought down 700 rebounds.
BU VS. PROVIDENCE: The Friars own the 14-6 advantage in the all-time series history, which dates back to 1978, but has not been revisited since Dec. 28, 1997, when Providence claimed an 86-70 victory over BU. PC has claimed the last 10 straight match-ups, which spans from 1985-1997.
UP NEXT: The winner of Thursday's game will face the winner of Old Dominion-American.
HINTON IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Senior Aly Hinton currently ranks seventh all-time in career rebounds with 698 boards, fifth all-time in career free throw percentage (.784) and ninth in 3-pointers (96). Additionally, she is tied in games played to tie Christine Kinneary ('09) as the program's all-time leader with 125 games played.
BU IN THE POSTSEASON: Thursday will be the Terriers' second straight appearance in the WNIT and the program's third run into postseason play, as the 2003 squad advanced to the NCAA tournament after upsetting No. 1 Maine, 69-65, in the America East finals that year. In 2009, the Terriers advanced to the WNIT second round after defeating Central Connecticut, 79-60, in the program's first-ever postseason victory, before falling to Boston College, 68-53.
TERRIERS HONORED BY AE: For the first time in seven years, a Terrier has earned the America East Rookie of the Year title, as freshman Chantell Alford was a unanimous choice for the league's top rookie. She is also the first BU freshman since Jill Sosnak in 1991 - and first AE rookie since Cindy Blodgett of Maine in 1995 - to earn All-Conference First Team honors. Freshman Caitlynn Moran and sophomore Alex Young were named to the AE All-Conference Third Team, while Moran and Alford were unanimous selections for the all-rookie team.
TERRIERS ONE OF 67: BU is one of 67 Division I schools that has both its men's and women's basketball teams advancing into the postseason.
ALFORD, MORAN AMONG PROGRAM'S TOP FRESHMAN SCORERS: The freshman duo of Chantell Alford and Caitlynn `Mo' Moran has made an immediate impact on the Terriers' program and it is now showing in the record books. Alford has already amassed 432 points to rank second all-time for freshman scoring and is now just seven points away from breaking Katie Terhune's record, while Moran is close behind with 376 to rank fourth all-time.
Women's Basketball All-Time Freshmen Scoring Record
1. Katie Terhune 2000-01 438
2. Chantell Alford 2009-10 432
3. Caitlynn `Mo' Moran 2009-10 376
4. Alison Dixon 1997-98 354
5. Debra Miller 1977-78 350
6. Jill Sosnak 1990-91 343
7. Andrea Ashuck 1985-86 313
8. Julie Schmidt 1991-92 307
9. Katie Meinhardt 2002-03 298
10. Aly Hinton 2006-07 264
MO'S MINUTES: Freshman Caitlynn `Mo' Moran has logged an impressive 1,132 minutes in 30 games this season, which currently ranks third in the BU record books for a single season, and is a BU freshman record. Only Christine Kinneary ('09) has logged more in a single-season (2008-09; 2007-08). She averages 37.7 minutes per game - ranking first in the America East. She has played all 40 minutes eight times this season, including three-straight games on two occasions. Most recently she did it from Feb. 10-Feb. 17 vs. Vermont, Albany and Stony Brook.
