Women’s Basketball: Terriers Triumph Over Maine to Keep Home Streak Alive
Featured image by Jacob Ireland
By Avery Kreitler
Boston University Women’s Basketball (3-2, 0-0 PL) defeated the Maine Black Bears (2-3, 0-0 AE) with a 67-57 score at Case Gym on Thursday night. The Terriers now stand with a 3-0 undefeated record at home.
“Historically, for us, it’s always been a hard matchup– they run their offense really well,” said Head Coach Melissa Graves. “I thought we adjusted, and I was happy overall with, you know, how we guarded and how we stayed focused when they missed… I thought it was a really good defensive effort.”
The matchup began with an exciting first four possessions. Center Allison Schwertner gained the tipoff for BU. In both of the teams’ first possessions, they sank quick three-pointers, completed by Senior Alex Giannaros for the Terriers followed by graduate-student Olivia Rockwood on the other end for Maine. The teams went back and forth scoring in the next two possessions before the Black Bears took the lead.
Having just scored her 1,000th point last game against UNH, Giannaros was heavily guarded on defense by Maine’s Rockwood. Her scoring momentum came to a halt within the first two minutes of the game when the ball was tipped out of her hands.
Her initial turnover ignited a lead for the Black Bears, who went on a twelve point scoring run in the first period.
“There have been times where they try to completely take Alex out, and it gets a little bit harder,” said head Coach Melissa Graves on Maine’s defensive attention to Giannaros.
Defensively, the Black Bears gained four steals and only had two turnovers in comparison to BU’s six. Four of these turnovers were committed by BU’s sophomore guard Aoibhe Gormley.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 21-13 with the Black Bears leading.
In the second quarter, BU’s Allison Schwertner led the Terriers in taking the game back. Within the first minute, the center completed two points around the rim and scored a momentum-changing three-pointer. She had 11 out of 18 points for the Terriers this quarter.
“I just saw the girl really sagging off me, so I thought, now is my chance to take that open three,” said Schwertner.
The Terriers also dominated defensively in the second quarter. With two steals and eleven rebounds, they only allowed Maine to score six points against their 16.
Schwertner sank a three-point shot with 58 seconds left in the half to tie the game. Maine’s Emmie Streams misses a three-pointer on their end, giving BU the last possession. Giannaros passes the ball to Schwertner for a buzzer-beater layup, putting the terriers up 29-27 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Schwertner continued to dominate, scoring the first layup of the second half. The Terriers went on a seven point scoring streak in the first two minutes before the Black Bears called a timeout.
The game continued to prove unpredictable when Maine’s Asta Blauenfeld scored a three-pointer with 4:14 left in the third, putting the score at 42-36 with BU taking the lead. Coach Graves called a timeout, and was able to redirect the Terriers who finished the quarter out leading 49-41.
The Terriers continued this momentum into the fourth quarter, and they began to take control of the game in the last three minutes. Guards Gormley and Giannaros held the ball just below half-court, killing time as the Terriers were up by seven.
“We really tried to slow down the pace a little bit and not play too fast,” said Coach Graves.
Blauenfeld and Sera Hodgson of the Black Bears forced last-minute fouls as the game came to a close, sending the Terriers to the foul line. Rockwood gained her third three-pointer for the Bears with 47 seconds left, bringing the score to 60-55, when Maine head coach Amy Vachon called a timeout. The bears continued to force fouls and call another timeout, but it was not enough for defeat. Boston University wins 67-57.
“This program has a lot to prove, and I think we’re getting close to showing that every game,” said guard Bella McLaughlin. “People doubt us, and we’re gonna show them how we actually play.”
The Terriers now prepare to take on the Georgetown Bulldogs on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at Case Gym. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 PM EST and the game will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.