|
BU IN 2005 NIT at Georgetown Game Notes (PDF)
{{notes as of March 15}}
GAME #29: Boston University Terriers (20-8) at the Georgetown University Hoyas (17-12).
WHAT: 2005 National Invitation Tournament First Round.
DATE: Wednesday, March 16, 2005, 7:30 p.m.
ARENA: MCI Center (20,600), Washington, D.C.
RADIO: Tonight’s NIT game can be heard locally in the Boston area on WROL AM-950 with Rich Levine and Doug Guy calling the action.
INTERNET: Tonight’s game can be heard on the internet at www.bu.edu/athletics/webcast .
ENTERING THE TOURNAMENT
Neither BU nor Georgetown is entering the post-season NIT playing its best basketball. BU is one of the top defensive squads in the country, ranking second in field goal defense and third in scoring defense, but has had trouble on the offensive end. The Terriers have lost three-of-four, averaging only 51.8 points per game in those contests. After starting the season 16-6, Georgetown has lost six of its last seven games.
UP NEXT FOR THE TERRIERS
The winner of tonight’s game advances to play the winner of the California State-Fullerton vs. Oregon State and Denver vs. San Francisco opening round games on a date and time to be determined.
IT’s A program first - FOUR straight 20+ win seasons for BU
BU comes into this year’s NIT with a 20-8 record. It marks the program’s fourth straight 20-win season. Along with the team’s 22-10 record in 2001-02, its 20-11 mark in 2002-03, and its 23-6 record last year, it marks the first time in the program’s 96-year history of men’s basketball that the team has won 20-or-more games in four straight seasons. Seniors Rashad Bell and Chaz Carr represent the only recruiting class to win 20+ games every year.
TERRIERS MAKING THIRD STRAIGHT NIT TRIP AND FIFTH OVERALL
The Terriers are making their third straight and fifth overall NIT appearance and are 0-4 in the other trips - all on the road. Most recently, the Terriers lost at Rhode Island, 80-52, last season. They gained a measure of revenge with a 73-68 win over the Rams earlier this season. Two years ago, BU fell at eventual NIT champion St. Johns, 62-57. In 1980, they lost at Boston College, 95-74. Six years later, in 1986, the Terriers lost at Providence, 72-69.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY IN THE NIT
3/10/80 at Boston College L 74-95
3/13/86 at Providence L 69-72
3/19/03 at St. John’s L 57-62
3/15/04 at Rhode Island L 52-80
3/16/05 at Georgetown ??
WOLFF, ASSISTANT COACH WILLIFORD WON 1992 NIT TITLE AT VIRGINIA
BU head coach Dennis Wollf was an assistant at the University of Virginia in 1992 when the Cavaliers won the 1992 NIT title. Fourth-year assistant coach Jason Williford was a freshman on that UVa team. The only other time Wolff has been involved in the NIT prior to his stint at BU was during the 1982-83 season as an assistant at St. Bonaventure.
SERIES VS. GEORGETOWN
BU and Georgetown are meeting for the sixth time in men’s basketball. The Hoyas lead the series, 4-1. All five of the previous meetings were in the 1970’s and all were won by the home team. The last game was a 53-49 Georgetown win on Jan. 4, 1977.
LAST TIME OUT: TERRIERS’ NCAA HOPES DASHED BY MAINE IN QUARTERS
Maine's Chris Markwood hit a three-pointer with three seconds remaining, lifting the sixth-seeded Black Bears to a 47-45 America East quarterfinal-round victory over third-seeded BU on March 5.
Neither team had more than a two-point lead for the final six minutes. Chaz Carr hit a pair of free throws to give the Terriers a 45-44 edge with only nine seconds to go. Markwood hit an off-balance trey with three seconds remaining to give the underdog Black Bears a 47-45 lead with only three second showing. A Carr desperation three-point attempt fell short, giving Maine the victory. BU shot a season-low 28.3 percent from the field.
BU’s LAST NIT GAME: TERRIERS’ SEASON COMES TO DISAPPOINTING END
Last year, BU’s season ended with an 80-52 loss at Rhode Island in the opening round of the NIT at The Ryan Center on March 17. The Terriers missed their first six shots and fell behind, 9-0 and 14-2, in the opening minutes of the game and never recovered. BU opened the second half with five straight points to cut the lead to 16 points, but URI regained control with a 15-3 run over the next 3:25. A 10-2 Rams' run midway through the half pushed the lead to 75-39, their largest of the game, with 7:30 remaining.
HEAD COACH DENNIS WOLFF
In his 11th season at BU, Dennis Wolff is the all-time leader in coaching victories at the school, bringing a 192-132 (.593) record into the tournament. Overall, he is 222-150 (.597) in his 13 years as a head coach (two seasons at Connecticut College). He has led the Terriers to a pair of America East Conference Championships (1997, 2002) and has been named the conference’s Coach of the Year on three occasions (1997, 2003, 2004). Including tonight’s NIT appearance, the Terriers made post-season appearances in each of the last four seasons, earning an NIT bid the last three years while going to the NCAA Tournament in 2001-02. Their 2002-03 NIT trip marked the first time in the program’s history that they had made consecutive post-season trips. This year’s return to the NIT only extends that mark.
SENIORS RASHAD BELL AND CHAZ CARR IN FINAL GO ‘ROUND THIS SEASON
It’s no secret that the Terriers’ recent success coincided with the arrival at BU of Rashad Bell and Chaz Carr. With a win over Maine on Feb. 24, they became the first BU class to accumulate 20-or-more wins in each of its four years. This season, both were named to the America East All-Conference First Team. Bell also earned All-Conference First Team honors as a sophomore, while Carr was selected to the conference’s First and Second Team as a junior and freshman, respectively. Combined, they have been a major factor in the team’s 85-35 record (a team record for wins by a single class) and three straight conference regular-season titles from 2002-2004.
BU SECOND IN NATION IN FIELD GOAL DEFENSE
BU has one of the best defenses in the country and is second among all Division I teams in field goal defense, allowing opponents to shoot only 36.8 percent from the field.
TERRIERS 15TH IN NATION IN FEWEST TURNOVERS
A further testament to the Terriers’ success this season is their turnover numbers this season. They’ve averaged only 12.0 turnovers per game, a number that ranks them 15th in the nation as of games played March 7.
BU THIRD IN NATION IN SCORING “D”
BU’s scoring defense is a primary reason for its success this season and in years past. Through games played March 7, the Terriers rank third in the nation, giving up only 55.4 points per game. Last year, the Terriers were ninth in the final Division I scoring defense rankings.
TERRIERS VS. BIG EAST FOES
Overall, the Terriers have a 40-129 (.237) record against the current membership of the Big East. The Terriers lost to BC, 80-74, in their only other meeting with a Big East squad this season.
TEAM REC LAST MET
Boston College 16-39 2004-05
Connecticut 12-41 1997-98
Georgetown 1-4 1976-77
Notre Dame 0-2 1987-88
Pittsburgh never met
Providence 4-18 2001-02
Rutgers 5-12 1971-72
Seton Hall 1-4 1966-67
St. John’s 0-2 2002-03
Syracuse 1-6 1993-94
Villanova 0-1 1937-38
West Virginia 0-2 1974-75
40-129
TERRIERS, CATAMOUNTS THE CLASS OF AMERICA EAST OVER PAST FOUR YEARS
Since America East’s realignment prior to the 2001-02 season, either Boston University or Vermont, or both schools, have been on top of the conference standings each and every week. BU shared the conference’s 2001-02 regular-season title with UVM and has won it outright the last two seasons.
CARR MOVING UP CAREER LISTS
Chaz Carr has steadily been moving up a number of the Terriers’ career statistical lists. He most recently moved into eighth place on the program’s career scoring list. A look at where Carr stands:
Stat Number Place
Scoring 1,401 pts 8th
3-pointers 176 4th
Assists 327 11th
Steals 127 11th
Games Played 119 5th
Minutes 3,552 4th
BELL EARNS THREE AMERICA EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS THIS SEASON
Rashad Bell played an inspired game against Vermont on Feb. 12, scoring a career-high 29 points and badgering UVM’s Taylor Coppenrath the entire game. Due to his efforts, he was named America East Men’s Basketball Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 14 along with Coppenrath. It was the third weekly award for Bell, who won on consecutive weeks on Dec. 6 and 13. He earned the first award after tallying 20 points and 11 rebounds in the team’s win at UNH on Dec. 4, and took home the second award after going 13-for-16 from the field at Harvard and at BC. He’s earned the award six times during his four-year career.
BELL JOINS ELITE GROUP OF TERRIERS WITH 1,200 PTS AND 600 REB
Rashad Bell is one of only six players in BU men’s basketball history to score 1,200 career points and grab 600 rebounds. He enters tonight’s game with 1,305 points and 616 rebounds in his career.
Player Pts Reb Years
Tunji Awojobi 2,308 1,237 93-97
Jim Hayes 1,679 664 67-70
Steve Wright 1,641 685 76-80
Paul Hendricks 1,527 805 82-87
Kenny Boyd 1,461 772 71-74
Rashad Bell 1,353 630 01-pres.
BELL CONTINUES TO LEAD BU, MOVES INTO BU’S CAREER TOP 10 SCORING LIST
Rashad Bell continues to pace the Terriers in the scoring department this season, averaging 15.7 points per game. With his 17-point game at Hartford on Feb. 5, he moved into ninth place on the team’s all-time scoring list. He is second in America East in field goal percentage (54.6%). He’s scored in double figures in all but three games this season and has a string of 10+ points in 29 of his last 32 contests.
BELL SECOND ON BU’S ALL-TIME BLOCKED SHOTS LIST
Rashad Bell has moved into second place on BU’s all-time blocked shots list with 114. Twice against UMBC this season he tied his career high with five blocks, allowing him to move past Jason Scott (1989-92), who had 93 blocks. That’ll be about it for moving up, however, as Tunji Awojobi (1993-97) holds the top spot with an incredible 302 career blocked shots.
BELL BECOMES 27TH TERRIER TO JOIN 1,000- POINT CLUB
Rashad Bell passed the 1,000 points career scoring mark during his 17-point effort at Harvard on Dec. 7, becoming the 27th Terrier to reach the milestone. He joins Chaz Carr on the list. Carr eclipsed the mark last year. You can see the entire list on page 59 of the BU media guide.
TERRIER DEFENSE BACK TO FORM THIS SEASON, AMONG NATION’S LEADERS
A BU defense that ranked ninth in the nation last season in scoring defense (59.5 ppg) is strong once again this season. The Terriers enter this game ranked second in the nation in field goal defense (36.8 percent) and third in the nation in scoring “D”, holding teams to a league-low 55.4 points per game. Through the regular-season games, BU has allowed only eight teams to score more than 60 points, and is holding opponents to 28.5 percent from the three-point line - both league bests. BU has held 16 of its last 24 opponents - and 18 overall - to 55 points or less.
BU BENCH ROTATES AROUND YOUTH
Nobody on BU’s bench played a college game before this season. The BU bench rotation has consisted of three true freshmen (Tony Gaffney, Bryan Geffen, and Matt Wolff), and a transfer sophomore (Omari Peterkin) who hadn’t played a college game before BU’s game against Canisius on Dec. 23. Ben Coblyn, another true freshman, has seen limited action while he nurses a sore lower back injury. The only other player on the bench, freshman Chris Vasiliou, also didn’t see college action before this season.
GEFFEN’S CONFIDENCE ON THE RISE
Dennis Wolff’s confidence in freshman guard Bryan Geffen was evident after he scored a career-high 13 points vs. UNH on Jan. 26: “I like everything about Geffen’s game,” said the coach. “He can handle the ball and he knows how to play.” Geffen scored eight straight points, including two three-pointers, sparking a BU second-half run that sent the Terriers to the win. Against Vermont at Agganis Arena last Saturday, his steal and layup gave ended an 8-0 UVM run and gave the Terriers a lead they would not relinquish. Geffen’s star has been on the rise in the second half of the season - during which he’s averaged 4.3 ppg in the last 18 games. He got off to a slow start after averaging 1.7 ppg and shooting 16.0% in his first 10 games.
GARDNER LOGS FIRST CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE IN BINGHAMTON WIN
Kevin Gardner posted his first career double-double in the Terriers’ 69-54 win over Binghamton on Jan. 9. He finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. He’s tied for first on the team in rebounding at 5.7 boards per game and leads the team in offensive rebounding with 60. Earlier this season, he set a career scoring high with 20 points at Boston College.
BROWER HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF STARTING ROLE IN SOPHOMORE SEASON
Etienne Brower has found his groove this season. He has tied or set career highs in scoring six times this year, most recently scoring a career-high 19 points at Maine on Feb. 2. He tallied his first two career double-doubles with 18-points and 10-rebounds vs. Stony Brook on Feb. 16 and 11 points and 10 boards vs. Northeastern on Feb. 20. Among team leaders, he’s second in blocked shots (40), and third in both rebounding (5.6 rpg) and scoring (8.6 ppg).
MATT WOLFF NAMED AMERICA EAST CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK ON DEC. 20
Freshman guard Matt Wolff was named America East Co-Rookie of the Week on Dec. 20 after scoring 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from behind the three-point line in the Terriers’ 63-52 win at Michigan on Dec. 14. He shared the award with Vermont’s Ryan Schneider. It was the first weekly award for both players.
MATT WOLFF HAD BREAKTHROUGH GAME AGAINST FORDHAM
Freshman Matt Wolff had a tremendous game against the Atlantic-10’s Fordham on Nov. 24. The coach’s son, coming off the bench, scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, adding nine rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes in the 66-51 win.
BU ON POSITIVE SIDE OF ASSIST-TO-TURNOVER RATIO ONCE AGAIN
For the third straight season, BU is on the positive side of the assist-to-turnover ratio. Through the regular-season games, the Terriers have a 1.04 ratio (350 assists to 336 turnovers) - good enough for second in America East to Vermont’s 1.34. It’s always a sure sign that the Dennis Wolff-led Terriers are playing well. Last year, they were credited with 420 assists and charged with 352 turnovers (a team record for fewest turnovers, a stat kept since 1973-74). Their 1.20 assist-to-turnover ratio led the league.
FITZGERALD RETURNS TO BU AS DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS
Former Terrier Kevin Fitzgerald (‘04) was named BU’s Director of Basketball Operations prior to the team’s game at UNH on Dec. 4. Fitzgerald finished his playing career fifth on BU’s career lists for assists (372) and steals (166), leading BU to 79 wins in his four years in addition to three America East regular-season titles, one conference championship, and three straight post-season appearances. He averaged 3.6 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. His 2.20 assist-to-turnover ratio is second best in program history.
THREE-POINT STREAK AT 271 GAMES AND COUNTING
BU finished last season (and the last eight complete seasons) having made at least one three-pointer in each game. Including this year’s games, the Terriers have extended their streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 271. The last time the Terriers were held scoreless from beyond the arc was Feb. 10, 1996, when they missed each of their 10 three-point attempts at Vermont. BU has hit three-pointers in 321 of the 324 games under Dennis Wolff.
CARR NAMED AMERICA EAST PRE-SEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
Chaz Carr was among the players selected by a vote of the league’s coaches to the America East Pre-Season All-Conference Team. Carr, an All-Conference First Team selection last year, will lead the Terriers in their attempt to retain their spot among the conference’s top teams.
AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE PRE-SEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Jose Juan Barea Jr. Guard Northeastern
Nick Billings Sr. Center Binghamton
Chaz Carr Sr. Guard Boston Univ.
Taylor Coppenrath Sr. Forward Vermont
T.J. Sorrentine Sr. Guard Vermont
BU PICKED SECOND IN COACHES’ POLL
The BU men’s basketball team was picked to finish second in America East this season in the coaches’ pre-season poll. For the second straight season, the coaches picked Vermont to win the conference title and the Terriers to finish behind the two-time defending champs. Maine, last year’s conference tournament runner-up, was picked third, while Northeastern is fourth.
2004-05 AMERICA EAST PRE-SEASON COACHES’ POLL
TEAM (1st-place votes) PTS
1. Vermont (8) 80
2. Boston Univ. (2) 69
3. Maine 64
4. Northeastern 59
5. Binghamton 50
6. Hartford 35
7. Stony Brook 30
8. Albany 28
9. New Hampshire 23
10. UMBC 12
BELL, CARR, WYNN CAPTAIN TERRIERS IN 2004-05
Seniors Chaz Carr and Rashad Bell, along with junior Shaun Wynn, will serve as team captains during the 2004-05 season. It’s the first captaincy for each player.
FOURSOME NAMED ALL-LEAGUE IN 2003-04
Four Terriers earned America East post-season honors last year. Chaz Carr and Jason Grochowalski both earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team. Shaun Wynn earned the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award as well as a Third Team nod. Finally, Ryan Butt earned Third Team accolades for the second year in a row.
2003-04: SEASON IN REVIEW
The Terriers ended the regular season on a 12-game win streak and winners of 23 of their last 24 games. They had also won 12 consecutive road games to end the regular season, second in the nation at the time only to No. 2 Saint Joseph’s 13-game road streak. BU had two impressive 11- and 12-game winning streaks during the season. For the first time in the program’s 95-year history, the team has had three straight 20-win seasons, and made an unprecedented third consecutive post-season trip.
IN 2003-04, WOLFF EARNS “TRIPLE CROWN” AWARDS FOR SECOND TIME
For his part in leading the Terriers to a 23-6 record last year, Dennis Wolff earned America East, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 1, and New England Division I Basketball Coach of the Year honors. It’s his second straight America East Coach of the Year award and third overall (1997). He also earned all three awards after the Terriers’ 25-5 NCAA season of 1996-97.
BU ATHLETICS EARNED THIRD STRAIGHT AMERICA EAST COMMISSIONER’S CUP
For the third straight season, Boston University earned America East’s Stuart P. Haskell Jr. Commissioner’s Cup, which annually recognizes the strongest athletic program in the conference. BU won two championships (women’s soccer and women’s tennis) and finished as a runner-up another four times. For their part, the Terrier men’s basketball team contributed with a regular-season championship, its third in a row. BU also won the first two Commissioner’s Cups, after the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons, and is the only current America East school to have earned one.
NICOLE WOLFF CONTRIBUTING ONCE AGAIN FOR UCONN WOMEN
Dennis Wolff’s daughter, Nicole, is a junior on the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. After battling injuries in her first two seasons at UConn, she’s back in the lineup this year. In 30 team games (19 starts), she’s averaging 4.1 points per game for the Huskies, who are seeded No. 3 in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
WOLFF ALL-TIME LEADER IN COACHING WINS AT BU
With a 69-42 victory over Hartford on Jan. 22, 2001, Terrier head coach Dennis Wolff became Boston University’s all-time leader in coaching wins when he earned victory number 102. Wolff passed Mike Jarvis, who was 101-51 in five seasons at BU. Entering this game, Wolff has an overall mark at BU of 192-132 (.593).
BU ALL-TIME COACHING WINS
## COACH W-L YEARS
1. Dennis Wolff 192-132 94-pres
2. Mike Jarvis 101-51 85-90
3. Matt Zunic 96-58 52-59
4. Rick Pitino 91-51 78-83
BU BASKETBALL IN 96th SEASON
The Boston University men’s basketball program is in its 96th season of competition. While it may be the 96th season of basketball at BU, it has been 103 years since the school first fielded a men’s basketball squad. The Terriers’ first year of competition was during 1901-02. Since 1980, there have been 15 winning seasons, nine 20-win campaigns (including the last three), six NCAA Tournament appearances, and, including tonight’s game, five NIT trips.
ONE LAST NOTE: TERRIER MASCOT
The Terrier seems to be uniquely qualified to be the BU athletics’ mascot. Boston terriers (the dogs) were first bred in the U.S. in 1869, the same year that Boston University was granted its charter. BU students selected the Boston terrier, known for its expression of determination, strength, energy, and activity, as their mascot in 1922. That makes “Rhett” 82 years old! Or 574 in dog years!
TERRIERS ON THE INTERNET
Coverage of the Boston University men’s basketball team and each of the 23 Terrier athletic teams can be found on the internet on the official Boston University athletics website at: www.bu.edu/athletics. Up-to-date game stories, rosters, statistics, player information, and much more is just a click away!
|
