Stat of the Week

plus-7

Last night's Terrier loss in South Bend featured arguably the best all-around performance from the Terriers so far this season. BU was reasonably effective shooting the ball in a hostile environment, kept the turnover count under control, and did all the little things well. It takes that type of performance to stay in the game against a ranked team with more than two seasons' worth of consecutive home victories.

All of those achievements are things the average fan could reasonably expect the Terriers to do against their Big East opponent. However, Dennis Wolff's team did something else as well, something nobody could expect: they outrebounded the Fighting Irish.

Luke Harangody is a force of nature, and nobody on the Terriers' roster was going to prevent him from grabbing double-digit rebounds last night. In order to contend on the boards, BU had to grab everything Harangody couldn't get to -- which is exactly what BU did. Everyone chipped in to corral loose balls and prevent Notre Dame from getting second-chance opportunities. Although no Terrier approached Harangody's 15-rebound total, five players gathered five or more boards.

BU's interior was labeled an Achilles heel at season's open. While BU has the talent to contend with many other teams down low, results from the post have been frustratingly inconsistent. If Saturday night's performance in South Bend represents a sustainable level of effort from the Terriers instead of a temporary improvement, the rest of America East -- Vermont included -- is in for a dogfight.