By René Reyes/DFP Staff
D.J. Irving and Darryl Partin sat next to their new coach Joe Jones in a media room a couple of floor levels below Case Gymnasium, their shoulders slumped, their heads down, their faces expressionless.
The sophomore and senior guards dropped 17 and 25 points, respectively, and accounted for eight of the Boston University men’s basketball team’s 10 points in overtime against Northeastern University.
Unfortunately for Irving and Partin, their offensive contributions fell to the wayside, as the Huskies (1-0) outscored the Terriers (0-1) 18-10 in that extra session and pulled away late for an 82-74 victory Friday night.
Despite trailing 62-51 with 4:53 remaining in this bitter, emotionally filled tilt, BU mounted a furious comeback and scored 13 of the contest’s next 15 points to tie it at 64 apiece. On the Terriers’ second-to-last opportunity to eke out a win, senior guard Matt Griffin drove and dished it out to Irving, whose shot was emphatically blocked out of bounds by guard Jonathan Lee.
With 1.1 seconds to go, Irving lobbed the ball to Patrick Hazel, but the 6-foot-6 senior forward couldn’t convert on the alley-oop feed near the basket, sending both teams' season opener into overtime.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Same story, different chapter: Northeastern narrowly tops BU, 82-74, in overtime
By Craig Meyer/DFP Staff
For two basketball programs in Boston University and Northeastern University that experienced so much change in the offseason, Friday night's game, by most accounts, carried an eery sense of deja vu.
Just as it was last season, with both teams opening the season against one another in front of an intense crowd, the Terriers and Huskies played a largely back-and-forth game, one defined by runs made by both teams in a contest that wasn't decided until the bitter end.
And ultimately, in a game marred by similarities, the result proved to be the same as Northeastern defeated BU 82-74 in overtime in front of a sell-out crowd of 1,875, the largest in Case Gymnasium history.
"Just another boring Northeastern-BU game, right?" Northeastern head coach Bill Coen quipped after the game.
The game served as an unveiling of sorts for the BU program, as it was the Terriers' first game under new head coach Joe Jones.
For two basketball programs in Boston University and Northeastern University that experienced so much change in the offseason, Friday night's game, by most accounts, carried an eery sense of deja vu.
Just as it was last season, with both teams opening the season against one another in front of an intense crowd, the Terriers and Huskies played a largely back-and-forth game, one defined by runs made by both teams in a contest that wasn't decided until the bitter end.
And ultimately, in a game marred by similarities, the result proved to be the same as Northeastern defeated BU 82-74 in overtime in front of a sell-out crowd of 1,875, the largest in Case Gymnasium history.
"Just another boring Northeastern-BU game, right?" Northeastern head coach Bill Coen quipped after the game.
The game served as an unveiling of sorts for the BU program, as it was the Terriers' first game under new head coach Joe Jones.
Grading the Terriers: 11/11 vs. Northeastern
By Shep Hayes/DFP Staff
Sophomore forward Dom Morris: C
Compared to last season, Morris played an overall average game to start the 2011-12 BU basketball campaign. Offensively, he had eight points, making 50 percent of his shots inside the arc, about on par with how he shot last year. His biggest weakness against the Huskies was outside of the arc, where he shot much weaker than on the inside. Morris attempted five 3-pointers, including one coming off of a timeout in overtime that would have given BU a two-point lead with under one minute remaining. He did not make that shot, and he also failed to complete any of his other four attempts, dragging down his otherwise decent play in the Northeastern end of the court.
Morris was able to make up his offensive futility on the defensive end, however. He snagged six balls off the glass for the Terriers, tied with Jeff Pelage for the most in the game for BU. In a game when BU struggled to rebound at both ends of the court, Morris’ contributions made a difference.
Sophomore forward Dom Morris: C
Compared to last season, Morris played an overall average game to start the 2011-12 BU basketball campaign. Offensively, he had eight points, making 50 percent of his shots inside the arc, about on par with how he shot last year. His biggest weakness against the Huskies was outside of the arc, where he shot much weaker than on the inside. Morris attempted five 3-pointers, including one coming off of a timeout in overtime that would have given BU a two-point lead with under one minute remaining. He did not make that shot, and he also failed to complete any of his other four attempts, dragging down his otherwise decent play in the Northeastern end of the court.
Morris was able to make up his offensive futility on the defensive end, however. He snagged six balls off the glass for the Terriers, tied with Jeff Pelage for the most in the game for BU. In a game when BU struggled to rebound at both ends of the court, Morris’ contributions made a difference.
BU vs. Northeastern Live Blog
Starting lineups:
Northeastern University Huskies
F Kauri Black
F Kashief Edwards
G Jonathan Lee
G Joel Smith
G Alwayne Bigby
Boston University Terriers
F Dom Morris
F Patrick Hazel
G Darryl Partin
G Matt Griffin
G D.J. Irving
Final Score: NU 82, BU 74 (OT)
Team leaders:
Points
NU: Joel Smith, 20
BU: Darryl Partin, 25
Rebounds
NU: Joel Smith, 12
BU: Dom Morris, 7
Assists
NU: Jonathan Lee, 6
BU: Patrick Hazel, 2
Thursday, November 10, 2011
From the FreeP: Men’s basketball: Jonesing for a championship
By Craig Meyer and René Reyes/DFP Staff
As the players jumped raucously in jubilation, as the fans rushed the court in utter bliss and as the confetti streamed down from the rafters to the Agganis Arena floor, the Boston University men’s basketball program was experiencing a dream fully realized.
After clawing back to take down Stony Brook University in the America East Tournament championship game, the Terriers were headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in almost a decade and were part of a March Madness montage usually reserved for other, more successful schools.
Amid the celebration and chaos, however, stood a man who had watched the game from behind the bench, a man who, unbeknownst to BU players, coaches and fans, would be the person who with the responsibility of harnessing this success as the program’s next head coach – Joe Jones.
Having just completed his first season as the Boston College associate head coach, Jones made the trip east down Commonwealth Avenue to watch his good friend Patrick Chambers coach the Terriers and at the time, never could have imagined he would soon be in Chambers’ position.
But now that he is, he couldn’t be happier.
“I wanted the job really badly,” Jones said. “When the job opened, I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. It’s the best job in the league and that’s the kind of job that you want as a head coach, so when that job opened up it was an absolute no-brainer.”
Read more at dailyfreepress.com.
As the players jumped raucously in jubilation, as the fans rushed the court in utter bliss and as the confetti streamed down from the rafters to the Agganis Arena floor, the Boston University men’s basketball program was experiencing a dream fully realized.
After clawing back to take down Stony Brook University in the America East Tournament championship game, the Terriers were headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in almost a decade and were part of a March Madness montage usually reserved for other, more successful schools.
Amid the celebration and chaos, however, stood a man who had watched the game from behind the bench, a man who, unbeknownst to BU players, coaches and fans, would be the person who with the responsibility of harnessing this success as the program’s next head coach – Joe Jones.
Having just completed his first season as the Boston College associate head coach, Jones made the trip east down Commonwealth Avenue to watch his good friend Patrick Chambers coach the Terriers and at the time, never could have imagined he would soon be in Chambers’ position.
But now that he is, he couldn’t be happier.
“I wanted the job really badly,” Jones said. “When the job opened, I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. It’s the best job in the league and that’s the kind of job that you want as a head coach, so when that job opened up it was an absolute no-brainer.”
Read more at dailyfreepress.com.
From the FreeP: Catch me if you can: After a promising first season, speedy point guard D.J. Irving is ready for stardom
By Craig Meyer/DFP Staff
Lounging back in a booth at T. Anthony Restaurant on an overcast, non-descript Veterans’ Day in 2009, then-Boston University men’s basketball head coach Patrick Chambers could not get his mind off a certain thing.
It wasn’t his team’s first game of the season that Friday at Iona College, the game that would not only mark the beginning of Chambers’ tenure at BU, but also the start of his head coaching career. Nor was his brain wrapped around a heralded pair of recruits – Dominic Morris and Travis Robinson of Friends’ Central High School outside Philadelphia – who had just committed to BU about a week before.
Rather, on this day, all Chambers could think about was a speedy high school senior about six hours south in Chester, Pa.
“We’ve got this point guard coming in next year, from Philly, who is lightning,” he said with a pronounced emphasis on the last word. “This kid is going to be a star one day in this league, I can guarantee that.”
Roughly two years later, and with Chambers now the head coach at Penn State University, the faceless, ambiguous “lightning” that Chambers spoke of that day is now well-known across campus and the America East Conference by a different name – D.J. Irving.
Read more at dailyfreepress.com.
Lounging back in a booth at T. Anthony Restaurant on an overcast, non-descript Veterans’ Day in 2009, then-Boston University men’s basketball head coach Patrick Chambers could not get his mind off a certain thing.
It wasn’t his team’s first game of the season that Friday at Iona College, the game that would not only mark the beginning of Chambers’ tenure at BU, but also the start of his head coaching career. Nor was his brain wrapped around a heralded pair of recruits – Dominic Morris and Travis Robinson of Friends’ Central High School outside Philadelphia – who had just committed to BU about a week before.
Rather, on this day, all Chambers could think about was a speedy high school senior about six hours south in Chester, Pa.
“We’ve got this point guard coming in next year, from Philly, who is lightning,” he said with a pronounced emphasis on the last word. “This kid is going to be a star one day in this league, I can guarantee that.”
Roughly two years later, and with Chambers now the head coach at Penn State University, the faceless, ambiguous “lightning” that Chambers spoke of that day is now well-known across campus and the America East Conference by a different name – D.J. Irving.
Read more at dailyfreepress.com.
From the FreeP: Partin the Interruption: Leading scorer Darryl Partin looks to fill leadership role on and off the court
By René Reyes/DFP Staff
A 32-point night against Cornell University in November 2010 generated multiple left shoulder shrugs from Partin in his postgame presser. An unsightly 3-for-11 shooting performance in the America East Conference championship game last March still failed to break his calm demeanor afterward.
At the BU men’s basketball team’s open practice Monday, a rare sequence unfolded on the first court of the Fitness and Recreation Center. Co-captain Matt Griffin went around a Mat Piotrowski screen and drove relatively untouched down the lane for an easy bucket. Partin, the Seattle native who’s quiet by nature, was visibly upset with his teammates for the blown defensive rotation.
And he let them know it.
He gathered guards D.J. Irving and Zach Chionuma and forwards Dom Morris and Patrick Hazel in a circle near the free-throw line. On that particular possession, Partin barked, they should have slid over to the weak side and prevented the drive. Whoever was caught underneath the hoop, he added, would take the charge.
The Scarlet squad answered with a smothering display of defense on the White team’s next offensive trip down the floor, culminating in a Hazel block that started the fast break. Partin’s fiery exchange during a break in the scrimmage provided just a glimpse into his emergence as a vocal leader for BU.
Read more at dailyfreepress.com.
A 32-point night against Cornell University in November 2010 generated multiple left shoulder shrugs from Partin in his postgame presser. An unsightly 3-for-11 shooting performance in the America East Conference championship game last March still failed to break his calm demeanor afterward.
At the BU men’s basketball team’s open practice Monday, a rare sequence unfolded on the first court of the Fitness and Recreation Center. Co-captain Matt Griffin went around a Mat Piotrowski screen and drove relatively untouched down the lane for an easy bucket. Partin, the Seattle native who’s quiet by nature, was visibly upset with his teammates for the blown defensive rotation.
And he let them know it.
He gathered guards D.J. Irving and Zach Chionuma and forwards Dom Morris and Patrick Hazel in a circle near the free-throw line. On that particular possession, Partin barked, they should have slid over to the weak side and prevented the drive. Whoever was caught underneath the hoop, he added, would take the charge.
The Scarlet squad answered with a smothering display of defense on the White team’s next offensive trip down the floor, culminating in a Hazel block that started the fast break. Partin’s fiery exchange during a break in the scrimmage provided just a glimpse into his emergence as a vocal leader for BU.
Read more at dailyfreepress.com.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
MAZUREK: Numbers don't lie with BU basketball attendance
By Teddy Mazurek/DFP Columnist
Let me begin with a warning – in this column, I will be dropping hard facts to get my point across because I do not believe in sugar-coating the problems that concern Boston University athletics.
The biggest issue I have seen during my tenure at BU has been below average – actually I’d go as far to say pathetic – attendance.
Nowhere does this prove truer than at men’s basketball games.
Nov. 11 has been a date that Terrier fans have circled on their calendars since the men’s schedule was released.
On the one hand, I am excited that the season opener is home against city rival Northeastern University and I applaud the efforts of former BU coach Patrick Chambers and Northeastern coach Bill Coen for showing a commitment to strengthening a city rivalry.
On the other hand, I fear that the game might turn out to be another poor showing by BU students to support men’s basketball. An even greater worry is that Northeastern fans might outnumber BU fans on their own court.
The problem of poor attendance, specifically at basketball games, has been written about by past columnists. However, an in-depth look at attendance has never been published. This column is a response to this void.
Let me begin with a warning – in this column, I will be dropping hard facts to get my point across because I do not believe in sugar-coating the problems that concern Boston University athletics.
The biggest issue I have seen during my tenure at BU has been below average – actually I’d go as far to say pathetic – attendance.
Nowhere does this prove truer than at men’s basketball games.
Nov. 11 has been a date that Terrier fans have circled on their calendars since the men’s schedule was released.
On the one hand, I am excited that the season opener is home against city rival Northeastern University and I applaud the efforts of former BU coach Patrick Chambers and Northeastern coach Bill Coen for showing a commitment to strengthening a city rivalry.
On the other hand, I fear that the game might turn out to be another poor showing by BU students to support men’s basketball. An even greater worry is that Northeastern fans might outnumber BU fans on their own court.
The problem of poor attendance, specifically at basketball games, has been written about by past columnists. However, an in-depth look at attendance has never been published. This column is a response to this void.
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