Terriers Begin PL Title Defense at Holy Cross Wednesday Afternoon
December 30, 2014 | Men's Basketball
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BOSTON - Following a 69-46 win over Wentworth, the Boston University men's basketball team will open the Patriot League schedule at Holy Cross on Wednesday with tip-off set for 2 p.m.
Last season, the Terriers (4-7) clinched sole possession of the Patriot League regular season title at the Hart Center with a 68-64 victory against the Crusaders (5-5). The first place finish in the conference standings was BU"s first since 2003-04.
BU enters the matchup seeking back-to-back wins for the first time this season, while the Crusaders will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak after opening the season 3-0.
TERRIER TIDBITS
• On Monday, BU held its first opponent of the season below 50 points with the 69-46 victory over Wentworth ... The Terriers are 4-0 this season when scoring at least 69 points.
• The Terriers posted season highs in both rebounds (43) and steals (13) against the Wildcats.
• Multiple players reached career highs in the win ... Junior Justin Alston had nine rebounds ... Sophomore Cameron Curry had seven points, three steals and three rebounds ... Freshman Will Goff had seven points, five assists and three rebounds while classmate Eric Johnson had three assists and two steals.
• Junior Nathan Dieudonne ranks second in the PL in rebounding at 7.6 rpg while averaging 9.7 ppg ... Sophomore Cedric Hankerson ranks second in scoring at 19.0 ppg while also averaging 4.9 rpg.
• Junior John Papale has 157 3-pointers in 76 appearances ... Needs 13 more to tie D.J. Irving ('14) for 10th all-time in the BU record book.
• The Terriers were picked sixth in the PL preseason poll, while Holy Cross was selected third behind two first-place votes.
SCOUTING HOLY CROSS
• The Crusaders opened season with three straight victories, highlighted by a season-opening 58-57 victory over then-No. 25 Harvard ... HC is 1-4 in last five games, having dropped two road games at Canisius (67-48) and Pittsburgh (58-39).
• Holy Cross is 3-1 at home this year with a 79-61 loss to Hartford and 76-66 victory over NJIT.
• Senior 6-foot-7 forward Malcolm Miller is averaging 11.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks ... Fellow senior Justin Burrell is a 5-foot-9 guard who also averages double figures at 11.4 ppg.
• Holy Cross averages 9.6 steals and leads the Patriot League in turnover margin at +3.3.
• The Crusaders average 65.3 ppg and shoot 40.5 percent from the field. SERIES HISTORY
• Holy Cross leads the all-time series, 51-14, in a series dating back to 1902-03 ... BU's win last Jan. 2 snapped six-game losing streak.
• Last season, the teams were members of the same conference for the first time since BU beat the Crusaders for the 1983 ECAC North title and automatic NCAA bid.
• The Terriers' win at Holy Cross on March 1 marked BU's first victory at the Hart Center since 2002.
UP NEXT
• The Terriers will play its final game of the regular season at Case Gym in the conference home opener against Lehigh ... Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 3) at 1 p.m.
• BU won by one at Lehigh (67-66) before dropping an 82-80 overtime decision to Lehigh at Agganis Arena.
