Women’s Basketball: Weimar notches 1,000th point as BU rebounds against Colgate
Featured image by Jessica Lam
By James Noyes
Boston University women’s basketball (12-5, 4-2 PL) beat the Colgate University Raiders (11-6, 4-2 PL), 73-66, on Saturday at Case Gym. Star senior forward Caitlin Weimar led the way for the Terriers; she finished with a game-high 22 points along with 12 rebounds and a block. Weimar also scored her 1,000th career point as a Terrier, backing down Colgate forward Tiasia McMillan for a tough and-one layup during the first quarter.
Weimar has shined for the Terriers this season; in her 17 games played this year, she has recorded a double-double in 12 of them. She leads the team in total points, rebounds, and blocks, and is often trusted with the ball in her hands during crunch time. In those late-game situations, Weimar said she does “whatever I can do to get the ball off and create the biggest advantage for myself against the defense.”
“It just proves all the hard work I’ve done, so it’s exciting,” Weimar said, adding, “I think this was the best game to do it.” Saturday was alumni day for the program; members of the 2009-2010 Terriers’ squad were honored on the court in-between quarters, and stayed to watch Weimar’s historic night.
“The atmosphere in the gym was amazing,” Weimar said. “It’s so nice to have alumni here and to be able to see them and talk to them and learn from them.” The lessons of the Terrier legends were fully on display against Colgate.
BU dominated the first half. Guards Audrey Ericksen and Alex Giannaros combined for 11 points in the first quarter, outscoring the entire Colgate team. Weimar contributed an additional six points, and by the time a beautifully-crafted play set up a Kelsi Mingo corner 3-pointer to end the quarter, the Terriers led 21-10.
They kept their foot on the gas to start the second quarter. A Giannaros steal led to two free throws for the Terriers, then Weimar and sophomore forward Anastasiia Semanova scored in the paint on two consecutive trips down the floor. The outburst forced Colgate to call a timeout, and the away team’s hopes were raised when first-year Amarah Streiff drilled a 3-pointer when play resumed.
Alex Giannaros dashed those hopes on the next possession when she walked down the floor and stepped into a 3-pointer, swishing it and silencing the Colgate bench. She gave the Terriers what would be their biggest lead of the game, putting them up 32-17. Colgate started hitting long-range shots before the half, but could only shave seven points off of the lead before the buzzer.
The Raiders mounted a slight comeback in the third quarter, spurred on by tough layups from McMillan and guard Ella Meabon. Colgate’s fifth-year guard, Alexa Brodie, hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the quarter that cut the BU lead to six.
McMillan hit two big shots for Colgate in the fourth quarter, the second of which put the Raiders within two points of the Terriers. Sophomore guard Madison Schiller nailed a 3-pointer to make it 59-58, giving Colgate their first lead since the score was 2-0. But the Terriers had an answer, in the form of freshman standout Audrey Ericksen.
Ericksen hit a deep 3 to retake the lead, but a 3-pointer from Colgate guard Taylor Golembiewski negated her effort and put the Raiders up 62-61. Sensing a collapse, Caitlin Weimar stepped up for the Terriers yet again.
Driving into the lane, she hoisted a shot and got fouled. She hit both free throws, and a minute later she flew down the floor again for an easy layup. Weimar rebounded the Raiders next miss, and passed to Giannaros who drove for another basket, putting BU up 67-62. Giannaros grabbed the next rebound, and Colgate turned it into a fouling game. But the Terriers, namely Giannaros, diligently hit their free throws and preserved their lead.
BU finally won the hard-fought battle, 73-66, at home in front of the Terrier alumni. Next, they will travel to West Point, NY to take on Army on Wednesday at 6 p.m.