Men’s Basketball: Terriers Try for Seven Straight Wins Against Colgate

By: Matt Doherty 

Currently riding a six game winning streak, the BU Men’s Basketball team has certainly picked the right time to be playing their best basketball of the season.

The Terriers will look to go for consecutive win number seven and inch closer to a Patriot League regular season title when they host Colgate University on Wednesday night at Case Gym.

Despite missing senior forward Nathan Dieudonne in their last game against Loyola, BU still found a way to pull out the victory, winning 73-65. The onslaught of injuries have not slowed down the Terriers yet, but with a talented Colgate team coming in, BU will need everyone at full strength.

The Red Raiders of Colgate come into Wednesday’s matchup at 12-13, 8-6 PL and losers of four out of their last six. However, they are coming off arguably their biggest victory of the season, a 91-81 win over league leading Bucknell.

Colgate’s upset moved the three way tie for second place of BU, Lehigh, and Navy just a game back of Bucknell while the Red Raiders sit two games behind in the current Patriot League standings.

With just four games remaining, Wednesday’s matchup proves to be a pivotal one for both teams.

The last time these two teams met in Hamilton, the Raiders won 85-78 behind 22 points from senior guard Austin Tillotson and 16 points from Jordan Swophshire and Alex Ramon.

In that game, the Red Raiders shot a killer 56% from three point range on their way to the victory.

The Terriers though are a completely different team than the one who lost to Colgate in early January. Bearing down defensively has definitely helped the late season surge but also the offense seems to be clicking on all cylinders.

Kyle Foreman has improved at running the point, Cheddi Mosely is shooting the ball at a high rate now that he is 100% healthy, and Eric Fanning seems to be able to get to the basket whenever he wants.

Couple that with the defensive and rebounding anchor Nathan Dieudonne, who had been playing his best before he got hurt, and the Terriers are the hottest team in the league.

On Wednesday, production from John Papale shooting the ball from outside will be key as he went just 2-10 from the field the last meeting. If Dieudonne can’t go, the rebounding duties will turn to Nick Havener, Blaise Mbargorba, and Dylan Haines up front.

Tip-off from Case Gym is scheduled for 7 p.m. and can be seen live on the Patriot League Network and heard on WTBU Sports Radio.