GAMEDAY: One love

Link: One love

GAMEDAY: Men's basketball faces Morehead State in CBI quarterfinal

Link: Men's basketball faces Morehead State in CBI quarterfinal

GAMEDAY: Terriers butt heads with Obama's brother-in-law

Link: Terriers butt heads with Obama's brother-in-law

GAMEDAY: University of Vermont vs. Boston University

Catamounts. Terriers. It's one of the premier rivalries in America East, with each team grabbing signature wins over the other during the past decade.

BU's Agganis Arena era began in 2005 with an instant-classic 61-55 victory over the Catamounts – Taylor Coppenrath had 37 points but was outdone by Terrier stars Rashad Bell and Chaz Carr, who combined for 53 points. Less than a year later, the Terriers and Catamounts were found guilty of ignoring all principles of offensive basketball, with BU winning a 43-41 slugfest where Vermont took just 31 shots the entire game.

That meeting, in 2006, was the Catamounts' last loss in Boston. Vermont's last three trips to Beantown involved one Marqus Blakely, the most dangerous man in America East. As a freshman, Blakely was still a supporting act, but Chris Holm & Co. managed to escape The Roof with a two-point win. The past two years have produced nearly identical results: 70-57 and 70-56, both in favor of the boys from Burlington.

GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. Marist College

It's not the home stretch for the regular season by any means, but mid-December means finals for college students. We're not at that stage yet for BU Basketball. There's still three games left before conference play begins. Consider this final portion of pre-America East action the Terriers' midterms. There's a chance to evaluate, but success or failure here isn't going to make or break BU's season -- just set the team on a positive or negative trajectory entering conference play.

By all accounts, Marist is the easy part of the test. The Red Foxes have played six games. The Red Foxes have lost six games. There's a trend. If an 0-6 record isn't convincing enough, consider the opponents and the individual results. Marist lost to Hartford, now 2-9, by 37 points. Also included in that record is a loss to 2-8 Holy Cross. This is the easiest game on BU's non-conference schedule, and expectations should be adjusted accordingly.

That being said, this is also the Red Foxes' home opener. Nobody has seen Marist play on its home court. It's important for BU to come out early and put its foot down. If the Red Foxes get out to an early lead, the crowd gets into the game, and Marist is allowed to believe it has a serious chance of winning its first game of the season, this could be harder for BU than anticipated.

GAMEDAY: Bucknell University Bison vs. Boston University Terriers

The Terriers have been bruised and battered, both physically and in the standings. After facing the likes of Kansas State, Georgia Tech, and Connecticut, it's time for BU to transition to a more appropriate level of competition.

UConn provided one kind of test for BU: the impossible task. How would the Terriers do against an opponent whose athletic resources are, by all accounts, far superior? Today's meeting with Bucknell is a different sort of test. Similar to the Harvard game, Bucknell is not considerably bigger, taller, faster, or stronger than BU in any meaningful way. The Terriers have played Bucknell as recently as last year. In theory, since the Terriers won that game, they know how to beat the Bison. Perhaps most significantly, Bucknell is coming off a loss to America East conference member Binghamton, one of the absolute worst teams in Division-I.

Other losses can be waved away as temporary setbacks. A loss today, especially if Corey Lowe is on the floor for the Terriers, would sound a louder alarm.

GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. University of Connecticut

The concept of a "big game" is embraced by fans and media. Matchups are built up, beginning from the moment a game is announced and continuing all the way to tipoff. Sometimes the event lives up to the hype; other times, anticipation is forced to yield by mediocrity and disappointment.

Tonight's game between the University of Connecticut Huskies and the Boston University Terriers has been circled on BU's schedule from the very beginning. Sure, no coach or player in his right mind would openly approach this non-conference game as being more important than the others -- after all, teams and their individual components are expected to give 100 percent regardless of the opponent. But like the trip to Notre Dame from a year ago, there's something about playing an opponent you're not supposed to be able to defeat that changes things ever so slightly.

GAMEDAY: Northeastern University vs. Boston University

Four-year program versus five-year program. Current America East member versus former America East member. A school that dropped football against, well, Northeastern fans don't want to talk about it.

Don't let oblate spheroids -- or rubber cylinders, for that matter -- distract from that matter. With the gridiron a mere memory for both schools and both hockey teams cooling off after last season's successes, roundball is where it's at for Boston University and Northeastern University. At stake is more than just bragging rights among rivals. The two best mid-major programs in Boston are set to hit the court, and their respective styles could not be more different.

GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. Georgia Tech

The goals for the Boston University Terriers upon arriving in Puerto Rico were clear. Put in three solid performances against excellent competition and improve as a team. Winning would be a bonus. Three days after their first game, BU is set to compete in its third and final scheduled contest. Once again, the opponent is superior on paper, but with this trip already deemed a success, the Terriers have everything to gain and very little to lose.

The Terriers secured their first win on Friday due to superb rebounding on both ends of the floor. Jake O'Brien turned in one of the best performances of his career, totaling 14 points and 13 rebounds. Today's competition is a step up. Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal, put together, are quite possibly the best frontcourt duo BU will see this season.

GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. Indiana University

One down, and two to go. BU put in a solid performance against Kansas State University last night. Tonight's opponent represents a step up in name recognition, but the Terriers' slow start pales in comparison to what Indiana University dealt with last season.

Kelvin Sampson arrived in Bloomington as a big-name head coach ready to restore the Hoosiers to glory. Less than two years later, Sampson was fired; soon afterward, the NCAA imposed three years of probation on IU and a five-year show-cause order on Sampson, effectively barring Sampson from coaching at the Division-I level. The Hoosiers struggled to a 6-25 record in 2008-09, winning just one game in Big Ten play.

For an America East Conference team, Indiana is a marquee opponent, ranking alongside UConn as the biggest "name" opponent BU will face this season. Get past the potential for awe, however, and tonight's game ranks as decidedly winnable.

GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. Kansas State University

On the Terriers' schedule, Puerto Rico sticks out like a sore thumb, even when compared to BU's several other challenging non-conference opportunities. There are highly-anticipated contests, and then there are these three games. Between the guarantee of national television exposure and the chance to play power-conference competition at a theoretically neutral site, regular-season games don't get much bigger than these for a small-conference program.

Relatively little has gone BU's way in recent weeks. Concussions have thinned the Terrier bench and turnovers have plagued those players healthy enough to see the court. Open shots have been missed. Fouls at critical times during the game have forced key contributors to sit. While the defense has started to round into form, head coach Patrick Chambers' offense is clearly a work in progress, providing production in fits and starts. Bench scoring has been nonexistent.

And so, with a myriad of issues to rectify, the Terriers arrive at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in search of their first win.

GAMEDAY: George Washington University vs. Boston University

After months of preparation, head coach Patrick Chambers unveiled a new brand of Terrier basketball on Friday: high-octane, pedal-to-the-metal, and willing to risk making mistakes in order to make plays. With Scott Brittain and B.J. Bailey unavailable due to concussions, the V-8 engine under the Terriers' hood was suddenly short a couple of cylinders. BU displayed intent, but the horsepower and intelligent decision-making necessary for translating intent into results was noticeably absent. 22 turnovers gets a team nowhere.

Tonight, the Terriers return to a more favorable setting, a familiar second home, albeit one with some less than pleasant memories. BU has enjoyed very limited success at Agganis Arena, partially due to the generally high quality of the opponents scheduled to play there, but also due to some uncharacteristically poor performances at The Greek. Tonight's game, Chambers' first at the more palatial of BU's two venues, constitutes an opportunity for the Terriers to establish an increased comfort level at Agganis, not to mention level their season record.

GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. Iona College

After 26 consecutive seasons without a meeting, the Boston University Terriers will square off against the Gaels of Iona College for the second time in less than nine months. You can thank ESPN BracketBusters for that. The Terriers drew Iona as their opponent for the Feb. 21 mid-major extravaganza, earning a 63-57 result at The Roof with the help of freshman forward Jake O'Brien, who blocked shots to end each of the Gaels' final two possessions.

Although each team has competed just three times since last winter's BracketBuster showdown, both teams present significantly different looks. Most notable, of course, is the changing of the guard in Boston, as Patrick Chambers has spent the past several months preparing for his first game as a Division-I head coach, but there are several reasons why this game should be more than merely a repeat of last year's tightly contested matchup.

GAMEDAY: America East Championship, Semifinals Preview

Five of the America East Championship's eight games are already in the books after the conclusion of an eventful quarterfinal round, but there are still three remaining, including two today. Yesterday determined which teams are truly in position to make a run at the title, but today's games set the stage for next week's ultimate battle. Without further ado, let's get to the matchups.

Sunday, March 8:
No. 6 Maryland-Baltimore County (14-16, 8-9) vs. No. 7 Albany (15-15, 7-10), 2:07 p.m.



Two quarterfinal upset winners meet in the semifinals for an unlikely pairing. Albany burst out of the gates in its quarterfinal matchup but had to survive a serious comeback attempt by Vermont and took 45 minutes before securing the victory. Not to be outdone in the drama department, the Retrievers needed all of Darryl Proctor's 33 points, including a game-tying shot with 2.5 seconds remaining, to force overtime and ultimately defeat Boston University. Two more different teams could not be found. UMBC makes the most of its possessions by relying on its senior leaders for major point production, protects the basketball, and suffers from rebounding woes. The Great Danes, in contrast, are not efficient in the traditional sense on offense but crash the boards to get second chance opportunities for an offense built around a junior and a sophomore. These teams' two previous meetings produced a split, with the home team winning each contest. Albany looks to improve to 11-3 at home, while UMBC is looking for a repeat trip to the finals.

Projected starting lineups:




No. 1 Binghamton (21-8) vs. No. 4 New Hampshire (14-16), 5:07 p.m.



The early game may feature two upset winners, but today's second game matches chalk against chalk. The Bearcats have won nine straight and have a head of steam, but don't be so quick to discount the Wildcats' chances. UNH gave Binghamton a real scare during its visit to Vestal, leading by six with three minutes to go in regulation before the Bearcats managed to sneak away with a one-point overtime win. Nobody in the conference can match Binghamton's speed and athleticism, so New Hampshire will need its shotmakers to create and convert open looks in order to keep pace. No high seeds on the other side of the bracket guarantees this game's winner will host the final.

Projected starting lineups:

GAMEDAY: No. 3 Boston University vs. No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Saturday afternoon's game between the sixth-seeded University of Maryland-Baltimore County will mark the first time the two teams have faced each other in the conference tournament and the third time the teams play this season. The Retrievers are the defending America East Champions and they boast two of the most talented players int he conference in senior point guard Jay Greene and senior forward Darryl Proctor -- a daunting task in the first round to say the least.

The biggest focus for the Terriers will be on seizing the momentum of their three-game winning streak and somehow summoning the play of the same BU squad that reeled off eight-straight games in the middle of the season. For BU, the offense revolves around Corey Lowe and John Holland. Often, as Lowe goes, so go the Terriers and he'll need to perform well on the biggest stage of the season if BU has hopes of advancing. Lowe has combined for 37 points against the Retrievers and is beginning to play better basketball after being benched in the second half against Stony Brook. That game was the middle contest of a three-game stretch during which Lowe scored a combined 17 points on 6-of-27 shooting. He burst out of his career-worst shooting slump in BU's final two games of the season, however, and appears back to for just in time for the tournament. Still, he'll need to not only shoot well for the Terriers offense to be effective, but also be an efficient facilitator.

Additionally, John Holland (who scored 25 points against the University at Albany in SEFCU earlier this year without Lowe on the floor and combined for 40 in two games against UMBC) must rebound for a poor showing in last years' tournament, which came to a point when the sophomore forward didn't play in the second half of BU's loss to Hartford. Holland's the most talented scorer on the team and this could be his tournament to impress in given his extreme amount of consistency (18 points per game) scoring the basketball.

Also pivotal to BU's success will be the post players, especially Scott Brittain and Jeff Pelage, who have been accosted all year by the Terriers' coaching staff and have shown flashes of brilliance. Still, with both having eFG percentages of under 50, BU hasn't been as efficient in the post as coach Dennis Wolff would like. Pelage's play of late has been aggressive and powerful and he could be a "secret weapon" of sorts in the tournament as teams probably didn't see this Pelage during the regular season. Brittain's play will be another x-factor as his post efficiency could make the difference if the game is close.

Senior Matt Wolff, after suffering a severe concussion against Hartford last Sunday, began practicing with the Terriers on Wednesday and will play against UMBC. Another, and much more unexpected source of playing time will come from Sherrod Smith. Smith performed well against Hartford in the season finale after virtually not playing all season. Because of his performance, Wolff said he earned the right to get some minutes in the tourney.

Rookie of the Year, Jake O'Brien, set his career-high scoring total against UMBC on February 2, with 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting. While UMBC coach Randy Monroe certainly knows his capabilities, he still has the ability to shoot over people basically any time he wants and if his confidence against the Retrievers continues, he could have a major impact on the game.

As poorly as the Terriers played against last-place Hartford on Sunday, the Terriers were able to accomplish a feat that escaped them all season -- win a game when trailing with 5:00 to go in the game. BU's overtime win put them at 1-8 on the year when trailing with 5:00 left and the Terriers are 0-3 when tied at the 5:00 mark.

BU will most likely implement a matchup zone against the Retrievers, but don't be surprised if Wolff uses a little more man-to-man than usual, as it worked well in BU's 80-77 double overtime victory at Case Gymnasium this year, especially with Matt Wolff guarding Proctor effectively. UMBC is healthy (yet still not very deep, much like BU) and the draw is one of the most evenly-matched first-round games.

As far as the history aspect of the macthup is concerned, The Terriers haven't lost a quarterfinal game in the America East Tournament in two years as the current junior class roared back to beat Binghamton in 2006-07 and upset No. 3 Albany in the first round at Binghamton. As a No. 3 seed, the Terriers are 7-7 all-time and are 7-2 all-time against six seeds.

Links:
Terriers' season faces judgment this weekend in AE tourney

Projected Starting Lineups

GAMEDAY: America East Championship, Play-In and Quarterfinals Preview

The weekend that defines the America East Conference is finally here. The tournament kicks off Friday night at 7:05 p.m. between the No. 8 University of Maine and the No. 9 University of Hartford. Then Saturday features eight teams in the most exciting day of the conference's season. One NCAA bid is on the line so without wasting too much of your time, let's get right to the previews.

Friday, March 6:
No. 8 Maine (9-20, 4-12) vs. No. 9 Hartford (6-25, 2-14), 7:05 p.m.



















The Hawks are coming off an emotional loss to Boston University in which they came extremely close to ending their dismal 14-game losing streak. While Hartford deserved to win the game, they couldn't make enough plays and/or 3-pointers at the end to pull it out. Maine, on the other hand, lost to Vermont sans Mike Trimboli and is probably playing the worst basketball in the conference. Troy Barnies and Gerald McLemore have been a diamonds in the rough for the Black Bears, but when Mark Socoby's not scoring, it makes things difficult. McLemore could be a difference-maker as the most athletic player on the court in the play-in game, but Hartford's newfound energy could be enough to propel them forward. The winner doesn't get much of a reward, however, as they have to take on top-seeded Binghamton on Saturday. Hartford and Maine split the season series.

Projected starting lineups




















Saturday, March 7:
No. 2 Vermont (23-7, 13-3) vs. No. 7 Albany (14-15, 6-10), 12:07 p.m.



















Almost all the talk surrounding this game has been centered on Mike Trimboli's mysterious "illness/serious viral infection" and whether or not the first-team senior guard will play on Saturday. According to the Burlington Free Press, he's already returned to practice and made the trip to Albany. It would be a complete shock to see him held out of the lineup, especially in his senior year. How effective he'll be, however, remains to be see. Even if Trimboli doesn't play, UVM still has AE Player of the Year Marqus Blakely and a great supporting cast. The Great Danes are in rough shape as their rookie point guard Anthony Raffa and Louis Barraza will likely miss the game with injuries and not even a home-court advantage can help cure that. With a severe lack of depth and being losers of seven of their last eight -- as well as history (a No. 7 seed has never topped a No. 2 seed in the America East Tournament) -- things aren't looking good for the Danes. One glimmer of hope could be that Albany has beaten UVM this season, 82-77 at Patrick Gymnasium.

Projected Starting Lineups




















No. 3 Boston U. (17-12, 11-5) vs. No. 6 UMBC (13-16, 7-9), 2:30 p.m.
*See Gameday post above for detailed information.

No. 1 Binghamton (20-8, 13-3) vs. Winner of No. 8/No. 9 play-in game, 6:07 p.m.




Obviously we won't know who Binghamton's playing until the play-in game is over, but it's a safe bet that the Bearcats will match up well against their opponent. Binghamton is the most athletic team in the conference and is on an eight-game winning streak (though some have been by the thinnest of margins) entering the tournament. We'll have more info on this matchup once it's determined.

(Edit: Hartford, by virtue of winning the play-in game, has advanced to the quarterfinals and will be Binghamton's opponent. The Hawks will have to improve on their regular season results against the Bearcats (two losses by seven and 18 points, respectively) while dealing with the effects of playing on short rest with a relatively short bench. Hartford's victory puts the Hawks on their first winning streak since mid-January and nine of the Bearcats' 13 conference wins were by single digits, so don't be surprised if this one stays close.)

Projected Starting Lineup











No. 4 New Hampshire (13-15, 8-8) vs. No. 5 Stony Brook (16-13, 8-8), 8:30 p.m.



















These two teams faced each other in a thriller at the end of the season with UNH capturing the higher seed on the strength of a 58-57 overtime victory. The Wildcats have beaten the Seawolves twice this season and have won four of their last five games, with the one loss coming to Binghamton by one point in overtime. The Seawolves have been one of the most surprising teams in the conference given their youth and inexperience, but with Tommy Brenton (second in the conference in rebounding) and Muhammad El-Amin does the bulk of the scoring. SBU presents a nice balanced scoring attack and is the best defensive team in the conference. If, however, the Wildcats begin to light it up from beyond the arc -- combined with the in-game coaching of Bill Herrion -- the Wildcats could move on. Given the matchup and the fact they just played one another, this game could turn into a first-round gem.

Projected Starting Lineups

GAMEDAY: University of Hartford vs. Boston University

One game remains in the regular season and it's against the worst team in the conference -- the University of Hartford. The game, aside from an opportunity to honor the three seniors in the program -- Matt Wolff, Marques Johnson and Sam Tully -- will give the Terriers a chance to fine-tune their game prior to the tournament. If they win, it would be the first time since 2005-06 that BU would enter the tournament on a winning streak.

Aside from honoring the seniors (Wolff and Johnson will most likely start, and we'll see if Tully does the same) the progress of two players will be particularly interesting to follow -- Corey Lowe and Jeff Pelage. Lowe, who had previously been on a nasty shooting slump, started to break out with three second-half 3s in BU's most recent win against Maine. If Lowe can continue to stay locked-in, it would be a huge advantage to the Terriers in the tournament.

Additionally, Jeff Pelage has been playing the best basketball of his young career for roughly a week between practice and games combined. The 6-foot-9 forward has begun to use his body in a brilliant way, fighting for rebounds and finishing strong around the basket. His continued improvement could help the Terriers greatly as they make their run at a conference championship.

The games prior to BU's 3:00 p.m. start time will determine who the No. 6 seed in the America East Tournament will be, so we commend your attention to them.

Also, be sure to check the blog at noon for live coverage of the women's basketball game as part of a double header at Agganis Arena.

Links:
Holland dunk highlight vs. Maine

Projected Starting Lineups

GAMEDAY: University of Maine vs. Boston University

With two games remaining on the regular season schedule (both against the bottom two teams in America East), the Terriers are presented with the unique opportunity of being able to focus solely on playing better basketball knowing that they've got the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament locked up.

While the Terriers got down by 18 in the first half when they made the trip to Alfond Arena earlier in the season, they managed to win by 11 in what was a defining contest of their eight-game winning streak.

In that game, Corey Lowe notched 15 points in that game to go along with a season-high nine assists. Lowe is expected to play tonight (according to BU coach Dennis Wolff) after spraining his ankle against Iona on Saturday and if he still hasn't regained the consistency on his shot that's escaped him since BU's second loss to Vermont, he could once again focus on becoming a facilitator.

Lowe's play serves as somewhat of a microcosm of the play of the team, as the junior guard has been in a funk of late, and (with the exception of their most recent win over Iona) so have the Terriers. Still, if Lowe is able to return to full health (both physically and mentally) the Terriers will have to be seriously considered to make a run at a conference championship, especially given the way Jeff Pelage has played of late. The challenge, as always, with Pelage is to remain consistent in his performance.

The opportunity presented to the Terriers -- two games at home against the bottom feeders of the league -- is pretty ideal given the concerns surrounding the team's fatigue as well as their attempt to turn things around prior to the start of the tournament. There's no better way to do it that these two contests.

With a win on Thursday, the Terriers would notch their 1,000th victory in program history in this, their 100th season of basketball. ... Sophomore forward John Holland has 490 points on the season. With 10 more, he would become just the second player under Wolff to record 500 in one season. The other is Tunji Awojobi, who did so twice. ... The status of freshman forward Jake O’Brien, who turned his ankle on practice Thursday, is currently unknown.

Links:
Corey Lowe will play on Thursday
M. BBall prepares for postseason v. Maine

Projected starting lineups

GAMEDAY: Iona College vs. Boston University

The number three is abound prior to this afternoon's ESPNU Bracketbusters game against the Iona College Gaels, who the Terriers will be meeting for the fifth time in school history (series is tied 2-2). Three games remain in the regular-season schedule and the Terriers have locked up the number three seed in the America East Tournament -- which begins in less than two weeks -- and they're currently on a three-game losing streak, including two losses to the league's top two teams that knocked them out of contention for the regular-season title.

Following the non-league matchup against a middle-of-the-pack team in the MAAC, the Terriers will round out their conference slate with two home games (one at Case Gymnasium, the other at Agganis Arena). With one win in any of their final three games, the Terriers will ensure a winning season for the first time in three years, and the first winning season any current player has experienced, with the exception of Matt Wolff (who was at BU in 2004-05). While that certainly isn't the goal, it's a significant mark nonetheless, as it shows progress (albeit, not to the level of which many thought the program could reach) with a core group of players.

While the previously mentioned threes are important, The number three is also part of the most recent controversy surrounding the Terriers, as in, 13 -- Corey Lowe's number. Lowe, who was benched in the second half of BU's most recent loss (Wednesday to Stony Brook) has had a history of slight controversies while at BU, and this appears to be another. It could be a quick one, however, as BU coach Dennis Wolff said Friday before practice that Lowe will start against Iona and play his normal minutes the remainder of the way barring any other unforeseen incidents.

As far as playing time goes for the team as a whole, not just Lowe, Wolff said he doesn't plan on changing his approach to the final three games at all. He said he will continue playing the starters and isn't going to change their roles (in terms of minutes played to potentially avoid fatigue prior to the tournament). Given the six-day rest between the final game against Hartford and BU's first tournament game, Wolff feels that amount of time coupled with the reduced practice schedule/intensity will be enough to have his squad rested and ready for the most important weekend of the year.

As far as this afternoon's game goes, it simply serves as a chance to begin playing better basketball following three losses -- all three presenting a few flaws in what seemed like a pristine Terrier team during its eight-game winning streak. With no questions lingering about what seed BU will be in the tournament, perhaps that lack of pressure will enable the Terriers to focus purely on playing better basketball, which is what they need to start doing quickly. Lowe had served as somewhat of a microcosm of the team over its last 11 games, playing brilliantly in BU's eight wins and not as well in the losses. The Terriers won their Bracketbusters game last season against St. Peter's, and while the result of the game won't impact the standings, it's an important contest for the Terriers, if only to lock up their first winning season in three years and put a stop to the three-game losing streak. Too bad tip-off isn't at 3:00.

Projected starting lineups

GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. Stony Brook University

Last night win by the University of Vermont has officially locked the Terriers out of first place and made a second-place finish significantly harder for BU to obtain. All but locked into third place, BU can focus on reversing its two-game slide.

While the Stony Brook Seawolves aren't capable of catching the Terriers in the standings, they are more than capable of beating BU. Anyone doubting the accuracy of that statement should refer to the teams' first meeting this year, a four-overtime duel which Stony Brook nearly won.

Corey Lowe and John Holland totaled just 17 points in Saturday's 60-59 loss to Binghamton. Last time out against Stony Brook, the Terrier stars combined for 62. Tonight's figure should lie somewhere between those two values -- not exactly going out on a limb here -- but perhaps more important is how those points are attained. BU can survive another six-point outing from Lowe, but not if those six points require 15 shot attempts plus missed free throws. Given the Terriers' dependence on Lowe for scoring output, 15 or more shot attempts is likely if not guaranteed, so if the shot distribution is anywhere near typical, the Terriers will be looking for double digits from their star guard.

The Seawolves have built a solid defense based on advantages in rebounding and turnover rates. Stony Brook ranks just outside the top ten percent nationally in defensive turnover rate (23.5%) and is also in the top 20 percent nationally in defensive rebounding percentage (69.8%). The Seawolves' primary defensive weakness is contesting shots from inside the arc: opponents have made nearly 51 percent of their two-point attempts this season. Scott Brittain has been productive as of late and should be able to contribute tonight.

Links:
M. hoops travels to Stony Brook tonight

Projected starting lineups: