Women's Basketball Set for Christmas City Classic Tournament
December 27, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2012
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BOSTON - After a 19-day break for exams and the holidays, the Boston University women’s basketball team returns to action with a trip to Bethlehem, Pa., for the Christmas City Classic this weekend. BU opens play against Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. and concludes the tournament against host Lehigh on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 4:30 p.m.
This is BU’s second trip to the Christmas City Classic afar Terriers won the tournament in 2001 with a 75-51 win over Delaware State on Nov. 24, 2001 and a 75-71 victory over Lehigh on Nov. 25, 2001. Last season, the Terriers competed in the Fordham Holiday Classic on Dec. 29-30, 2011. BU fell, 59-44, to Coppin State in day one of the tournament before defeating Navy, 48-46, in the consolation game on Saturday. Senior Caroline Stewart was named to the All-Tournament team.
Riding a five- game winning streak, BU enters its final two non-conference games with an 8-3 record which marks the best start under ninth-year head coach Kelly Greenberg. In their last game, the Terriers defeated Harvard, 68-61, in overtime, which helped BU move to No. 10 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
Senior Chantell Alford leads the America East with 18.9 ppg while adding 5.5 rpg. The guard is shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 43.9 percent from beyond the arc, both of which lead the team. Classmate Mo Moran runs the point for BU and is second on the team with 10.8 ppg while ranking eighth in all of Division I with 7.1 apg. Junior Rashidat Agboola is the team’s top rebounder with 9.1 rpg and while adding 9.7 ppg.
As a team, the Terriers average 62.5 ppg and are out-scoring opponents by a +7.4 margin. BU is shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 38.0 percent from 3-point range while the Terriers 8.3 3-pointers per game rank sixth in the country.
Fairleigh Dickinson enters the tournament with a 4-5 record and a three-game winning streak with its last victory coming over America East member Stony Brook, 56-49, on Dec. 11. The Knights are led by Danielle Pankey who leads the team with 15.1 ppg. Erika Livermore is second on the squad with 13.3 ppg and leads the Knights with 11.3 rpg.
As a team, FDU averages 53.0 ppg and is shooting 33.5 percent from the field while converting 24.1 percent of its shots from beyond the arc.
The Terriers and the Knights have met four times in program history with BU owning a 3-1 advantage in the series. FDU won the first meeting on Jan. 23, 1981, 78-77. In the last meeting between the two schools, BU defeated FDU, 78-64, on Dec. 28, 2003 in Boston.
Lehigh enters the tournament with a 4-6 record and will play Binghamton on Saturday before taking on BU. The Mountain Hawks had a two-game winning streak snapped by Sacred Heart in their last game, when Lehigh lost, 73-63 on Dec. 20. Lehigh is led by Kerry Kinek, who averages 12.3 ppg and 9.6 rpg. Kelly Peterson is second on the team with 9.3 ppg while Lindsay Hoskins is second on the team with 5.1 rpg.
As a team, the Mountain Hawks are averaging 56.5 ppg and are shooting 35.1 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from beyond the arc.
BU and Lehigh have met just two times prior to this weekend’s tournament with the Terriers owning a 2-0 record. The last meeting came during BU’s last appearance in the Christmas City Classic when the Terriers prevailed, 75-71, on Nov. 25, 2001.Starting next season, BU and Lehigh will be conference mates as the Terriers are set to join the Patriot League on July 1, 2013.
The Christmas City Classic concludes the non-conference portion of the Terriers’ schedule and BU begins its final America East season on Wednesday, Jan. 2, when the Terriers travel to Stony Brook, N.Y., to take on the Seawolves. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
