Terriers to Open West Coast Trip with Eastern Washington Friday
November 21, 2013 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2013
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BOSTON - Visiting the state of Caifornia for the first time since 2005, the Boston University men's basketball team will continue the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Wounded Warriors Project on the campus of UC Irvine starting Friday (Nov. 22) against Eastern Washington at 7:30 p.m. ET.
In total, the Terriers (2-1) will play three games in three days. After facing the Eagles (2-1) for the first time in program history, they will meet the host, the 2013 Big West runner-up Anteaters on Saturday (Nov. 23) at 8:30 p.m. ET and then defending NEC champion Long Island Brooklyn on Sunday (Nov. 24) at 4:30 p.m. ET.
BU opened the 2K Sports Classic last Sunday at No. 19 UConn. Trailing by 19 late in the first half, the Terriers rallied to grab a one-point lead early in the second but could not sustain the momentum in a 77-60 loss. No matter the outcome of the game, BU was scheduled to travel out west to UC Irvine.
Through three games, the Terriers are averaging 74.3 points per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field. Senior Dom Morris has dominated under the basket, shooting an impressive 64.5 percent from the field for an average of 17.3 ppg while averaging a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore Maurice Watson Jr. is close behind at 15.7 ppg and 57.9 percent while also averaging 6.0 assists.
Named Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year, senior D.J. Irving started the season 3-of-15 but broke out of the mini slump with a team-high 17 points against the Huskies. Freshman Cedric Hankerson and sophomore John Papale are contributing 9.0 ppg and 7.7. ppg, respectively.
BU got off to its first 2-0 start since 2000-01 with the help of its defensive effort. The Terriers are averaging 8.0 steals and have a positive turnover margin of 4.7. Junior Malik Thomas posted a career-high five steals in the season opener against Northeastern, and Watson tallied five in the win against UMass Lowell.
They will need to continue to keep the defensive pressure high on opponents to have success, as two of the three teams are coming off postseason appearances. Long Island fell in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, while UC Irvine dropped a second round decision in the CIT, the same tournament that BU appeared in last spring.
Eastern Washington went 10-21 last season but 10 of the losses were within single digits. This year, the Eagles are 2-1 with wins over Pacific (Ore.) and Walla Walla and a hard-fought 92-80 loss at Washington. The Eagles were ahead by nine at the half and led 64-53 with 13:22 remaining before the Huskies rallied back.
Finishing 21-14 last year, UC Irvine is the preseason Big West favorite and is 2-2 with wins over Washington (86-72) and Pacifica (110-73) with losses to Fresno State (98-97) and Pacific (84-79). BU is 1-1 all-time in the series with a 79-76 win in 1992 at home followed by a 77-71 loss in the title game of the 2002 Green Bay Classic.
LIU took an extended break entering this weekend's event. The Blackbirds last played on Nov. 12 at No. 23 Indiana. The Hoosiers trailed by three at the half and by the same margin with 2:47 remaining before hitting two 3-pointers to escape with a 73-72 win. LIU missed a layup and 3-pointer in the final five seconds after opening the season with an 87-80 win over St. Peter's. The Blackbirds lead the all-time series against BU, 4-1, but the two teams haven't faced off since 1992.
The Terriers are playing in three games in three days for the first time since the 2011-12 season. That year, they competed in the Legends Classic Sub Regional, dropping a one-point decision to Cleveland State before beating host Rhode Island and Hofstra.
After concluding the 2K Sports Classic, BU will return home and host St. Peter's on Saturday (Nov. 30) at 1 p.m. in Case Gym.
