Women’s Basketball: BU gets back on track in blowout over Merrimack

By Mitch Fink 

BU women’s basketball (3-5, 0-0 PL) snapped a four-game skid with a convincing 66-52 rout of Merrimack (2-6, 0-0 NEC) in North Andover on Thursday night.

Sophomore forward Caitlin Weimar and junior guard Maggie Pina each scored 16 points to lead the Terriers, and junior guard Liz Shean knocked down three three-pointers, adding 12 in 11 minutes off the bench.

Senior guard Kate Mager led the way for the Warriors, pouring in 15 points.

Merrimack started the game aggressive on the glass, out-rebounding BU 14-5 in the first quarter, and it resulted in an advantage throughout most of the first half.

The Terriers hit their stride at the end of the second quarter. Caitlyn Weimar single-handedly posted a 10-0 run at the end of the half to erase a seven-point Merrimack lead and give BU a 34-31 advantage at the break.

The Terriers blew things open in the third quarter, dominating the Warriors 22-10 in the period. BU shot at a 52.9% clip, while Merrimack was held to an ice-cold offensive performance in the quarter — shooting only 25% from the field.

Mager hit a three-pointer to get the Warriors within single-digits midway through the fourth quarter, but a 7-0 run by the Terriers immediately quelled the threat. BU cruised the rest of the way to the final buzzer, ultimately securing the 14-point victory.

The win marked the Terriers’ first in nearly a month after a series of single-digit losses to Maine, Yale, Harvard and Northeastern.

Head coach Melissa Graves saw production from across her lineup — with Shean, Weimar and junior center Maren Durant enjoying career-best performances.

Shean’s 12 points tied her best as a Terrier. The Arlington, Virginia native is now shooting 62% from long-range in her last five games.

Weimar also notched a BU career-high in points with her 16-point performance. The transfer from Marist College has now scored at least 10 points in three of the Terriers’ last four games.

Durant collected 15 rebounds for BU, marking the most she’s corralled in three seasons at BU.

The Terriers will look to continue their positive momentum into Monday evening when they return to Case Gym to take on New Hampshire at 6 p.m.