Terriers Set to Visit Harvard Wednesday
December 2, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2008
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BOSTON - Looking for their eighth-straight win against Harvard, the Boston University men's basketball team (3-2) visits the Crimson (3-1) on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. in Lavietes Pavilion. The game will mark the Terriers' fifth meeting with second-year Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker in six years.
Harvard leads the all-time series, 32-26, that dates to the 1904-05 season, but the Terriers have rallied in the past two decades. BU has taken 14 of the last 15 games played, including the last seven consecutive contests. The Terriers' biggest win came on Dec. 9, 2003, an 86-42 decision in Case Gym.
15th-year head coach Dennis Wolff is 13-1 against Harvard, with the lone loss coming in 2000 at Harvard. Wolff is also 3-1 all-time against Amaker, having defeated Michigan on the road in both 2003 and 2004 before losing to the Wolverines at home in 2005.
Last year in Case Gym, guards Carlos Strong and Corey Lowe combined for 45 as the Terriers topped the Crimson, 79-72, while Lowe recorded his first career double-double (23 pts., 10 rebs). In a pivotal stretch in the second half, he connected for a long three in front of the BU bench, blocked a shot at the other end, and then came around a screen to hit another triple for a 62-53 lead with 9:40 left.
Harvard got within 72-68 with under three minutes to play on a triple from Dan McGeary. Harvard came up with a steal but was not able to convert a layup in heavy traffic and BU went the other way, converting a layup with 2:28 left. Harvard then missed two free throws and the Terriers broke away from a trap defense with Lowe hitting another long trey for a 77-68 edge before leaving with the victory.
The Crimson hosts its third-straight home game after earning back-to-back victories against Holy Cross (69-59) and Army (66-54). The squad started the season at New Hampshire, winning 80-69, before dropping a 70-57 decision at Colorado. Ranked 44th in the nation with a 20.0 scoring average, junior Jeremy Lin also leads the team in steals (16) and assists (14), while also posting a 58.8 percent shooting percentage beyond the arc. The 6-foot-3 guard is also second with a 5.5 rebounding average. 6-foot-8, 240-pound freshman Keith Wright is close to averaging a double-double at 12.3 ppg and 9.0 rpg, respectively.
Sophomore forward John Holland is BU's leading scorer, 82nd in the NCAA, with 18.8 points per game. He also leads the team in made 3-pointers with a 3.0 average on a squad that is currently ranked ninth in the nation with 10.0 made 3-pointers per game. VMI is at the top of the category at 13.3.
Second for BU in scoring at 17.2 ppg, junior Corey Lowe leads the team in assists with 19. He scored 23 of 27 points in the first half of last Tuesday's 83-75 win over Northeastern. Current America East Rookie of the Week Jake O'Brien recorded all 21 of his points in the second stanza for the victory. All three men along with top reserve Carlos Strong hit double-figures in a losing cause to Mount St. Mary's, 78-69, on Saturday. Senior Matt Wolff is fifth in the conference with a 6.8 rebounding average. He along with Holland lead the team in steals with nine.
Following the conclusion of BU's three-game road trip, the Terriers will return to Agganis Arena on Saturday (Dec. 6) for a 3 p.m. tip off with Conference USA's Marshall.
