No. 3 Boston University (17-13, 12-6 PL) vs. No. 2 American (21-8, 13-5 PL)
Date & Time: Thursday, Mar. 10, 2022, 6 p.m.
Venue: Bender Arena, Washington, D.C.

Watch: ESPN+
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierWBB 
Rosters: BU | American
Schedule: BU | American
Game Notes: BU | American 
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the third consecutive year, the Boston University women's basketball program will face American in the Patriot League Tournament, as the third-seeded Terriers travel to the second-seeded Eagles for a semifinal-round matchup on Thursday (Mar. 10). Opening tip is set for 6 p.m.
 
BU and American will square off in postseason play for the fifth time since the Terriers joined the Patriot League in 2013-14. Thursday will be the second consecutive year the two teams meet in the semifinals.
 
The Terriers have reached their third-straight Patriot League semifinals, and fourth overall in nine seasons as a league member. BU vies to reach the championship round for the second consecutive year in search of the program's first Patriot League title, and fourth conference championship overall.
 
The Eagles are in the semifinals for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign after beating No. 7 Lafayette 54-48 in the quarterfinals last Monday. American last appeared in the PL Championship game that same year, and won the 2018 title.
 
TERRIER TIDBITS

• BU reached this point after taking down sixth-seeded Army West Point 80-74 in the quarterfinal round.
• The Terriers outscored the Black Knights 24-10 in the first quarter, only for Army to drop 30 points in the second. BU held Army without a basket in the final 45 seconds to seal the win.
• Sophomore Caitlin Weimar scored a career-high 21 points on 7-for-7 shooting, adding 13 rebounds, four assists, and three steals for the double-double.
• Junior Liz Shean made five three-pointers for 15 points, and classmate Sydney Johnson scored eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter.
• Senior Riley Childs recorded 10 points, six rebounds, and two blocks.
• BU's 80 points were the second-highest in a game this season, and the most since its league opener against Navy on Jan. 2 (82 points). It was also the highest amount for the Terriers in a Patriot League Tournament game.
• The Terriers shot .492 in the game, the 11th time this season they've shot better than 45 percent. In those games, the Terriers are 9-2, with one of losses coming against American.
• With Weimar's effort, a Terrier has recorded a double-double in a Patriot League game in four consecutive seasons. Childs (2021), junior Maren Durant (2020), and alumna Nia Irving (2019) have achieved the feat in that span, with Childs and Durant doing so against American.
• In three career conference tournament games, including her freshman year, Weimar has shot 15-for-21 (.714), averaging 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.
• This season, Shean is shooting 47.9 percent from three-point range, which would be the third-best single-season mark in program history.
• Durant has 51 blocks this season, which is 45th in Division I. She becomes the first Terrier to crack the 50-block plateau since Sophie Beaudry in 2016-17.
• BU has won five games in a row when Childs snags six or more rebounds.
• The Terriers are 42nd in the nation with 132 blocks and 46th with its team .342 three-point percentage.

 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• American advanced with its six-point win over the Leopards in the quarterfinals.
• The Eagles led by nine with 2:44 to play before Lafayette cut the deficit to three. All-Patriot League First Team pick Jade Edwards made three foul shots to ice the game.
• American captured the 2-seed after going 13-5 in Patriot League play, and enter Thursday's contest with a 21-8 overall record. The program has won five straight and eight of their last nine games.
• The Eagles are 14-1 at Bender Arena this year and undefeated in PL action, with its lone loss coming to non-league foe Towson on Dec. 11, 2021.
• As a team, American's .245 three-point percentage defense is fifth-best in the country. The program also leads the Patriot League with over 18 turnovers forced per game.
• Edwards leads the team with 12.7 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game, and 53 steals.
• Fellow seniors Taylor Brown (10 points per game) and Emily Fisher (8.3 points per game, 122 assists) garnered Third Team honors, with also grabbing a spot on the All-Defensive Team.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday marks the 24th all-time meeting between BU and American in a series that started in 1981.
• The Eagles have the 15-8 advantage in the rivalry. In the Patriot League Tournament, the series is 2-2.
• In the regular season, each team won a game at home.
• The Terriers earned a 69-46 victory on Jan. 8, powered by 16 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocks from Weimar.
• The Eagles triumphed 70-57 on Feb. 12, shooting 50 percent and forcing 22 BU turnovers despite 14 points from Durant and Weimar's double-double.
• In the 2021 PL Semifinals on Mar. 11, 2021, BU dispatched American 72-51 at Case Gym. The Terriers outscored the Eagles 26-9 in the second quarter, getting 23 points from Johnson and a 12-point, 11-board double-double from Childs.
• The 2020 quarterfinal contest was a 46-44 decision in favor of BU. Durant dropped 12 points and 15 rebounds, while junior Maggie Pina had 10 points in all 40 minutes, including the deciding free throws with five seconds to go. American shot 4-for-20 from three.
• In the last seven games between the two teams, the home team has come out on top.
• BU has never defeated American in a road game. The Terriers' lone win over the Eagles in Washington, D.C. came in the first-ever meeting on Jan. 25, 1981 in the Georgetown Tournament.

 
THE BRACKET

• With a win, BU would advance to the Patriot League Championship, which takes place on Sunday (Mar. 13) at Noon.
• On the other side of the bracket, No. 4 Bucknell hosts No. 8 Navy on Thursday (Mar. 10) at 6 p.m..
• The title game will be located at the higher seed's home arena.