Boston U Terriers
2012-2013 Overall Rank: #132
Conference Rank: #1 America East
Boston U Team Page
It took a little while for Boston U to start playing Coach Joe Jones’ style of basketball in 2011-2012, but this is a group that ended up 12-4 in a pretty tough America East Conference. The overall record may not be all that impressive, but Coach Jones stresses defense and always makes sure his players take smart shots on the other end of the floor. By January the team was clicking. They ran out of gas by March, but the signs were all there that Coach Jones was going to build something special at Boston U. It may not take long.
2011-12 Record: 16-16, 12-4
2011-12 Postseason: None
Coach: Joe Jones
Coach Record: 16-16 at Boston U, 102-122 overall
Who’s Out:
The Terriers will have their work cut out for them trying to replace Darryl Partin. The guard averaged 19.6 points per game and could score from anywhere on the floor. Partin ended his career as the conference Player of the Year, but Boston U has plenty of scorers ready to fill the void. The other lost starter is Patrick Hazel. The forward averaged 6.6 points per game and easily led the team with 1.6 blocks. Hazel’s defense will be missed greatly as he was really the only player on the team that consistently hung out in the paint. The depth up front will take a hit with the absence of Jeff Pelage. The center only averaged 11.0 minutes per game, but it was nice to have a big body with some experience who could come in and grab some boards. The backcourt will lose some depth too with Matt Griffin and Mike Terry. Griffin was usually the first player off of the bench and he could handle the ball or provide a little offensive spark with his outside shooting ability.
Who’s In:
As sad as it is to see a great player like Partin go, the Terriers have to be extremely excited about their four man recruiting class. Coach Jones is sticking with freshmen and not filling holes with junior college transfers. However, with the talent of these freshmen, it is much easier to do so. Maurice Watson Jr. leads the way. The 5-10 combo guard will be running the point eventually, but he can score in bunches. He ranks second all-time in scoring in the Philadelphia Public League. Think about all the players who have come through the PPL and that is extremely impressive. He is even ahead of Wilt Chamberlain on that list. Sharpshooter John Papale should make an immediate impact as well. For now Papale is mostly a pure shooter, but the Terriers could use somebody that can come in off of the bench and knock down some shots. Nathan Dieudonne, the reigning Mr. Basketball in the commonwealth of Kentucky, can play the role Hazel did last season…and maybe even more. Dieudonne is an athletic 6-7 forward who can score around the basket, grab plenty of rebounds and be that lanky defensive presence in the paint that BU desperately needs. Justin Alston is a tough rebounder who can add depth to frontcourt. That depth may be needed if Jake O’Brien does not come back at full strength. O’Brien averaged 13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds back in 2009-2010. The next year he started 14 games before breaking his foot. He never made it back for the 2011-2012 campaign. If he picks up where he left off, O’Brien will be a great scoring threat in the paint and a good enough shot blocker that Coach Jones can have more options in the frontcourt.
Who to Watch:
Dom Morris, a 6-7 junior, ranked third on the team in scoring with 6.8 points per game and led the squad with 5.9 rebounds per contest. He will step back into a starting role, presumably beside O’Brien. If O’Brien is back to his old scoring ways, Morris can concentrate on crashing the glass and doing the dirty work in the paint. Travis Robinson, a 6-5 wing, had a solid sophomore campaign. He rarely put up big numbers, although he is a capable outside shooter, but he is a tough defender and that will again get him plenty of playing time. Malik Thomas is a big 6-7 wing who has a ton of potential. His freshman campaign was marred by inconsistent shooting, but he is a great rebounder from the wing and when Boston U needs some help on the glass from the backcourt, they can call on Thomas.
Final Projection:
D.J. Irving will be the new star of the team. The point guard led the conference averaging 5.4 assists per contest and added 11.4 points per game. He is a tough player to defend due to his quickness and ability to knock down the long ball. However, even without Partin, Irving may not have to do as much scoring this season. He should have more scorers at his disposal and that means he can worry about setting up his teammates and keeping the tempo of the game where Coach Jones wants it. If Irving can set up his teammates as well as he did last season and the rest of the team continues to take smart shots, and make them more often than not, this is a Boston U team that can surpass Vermont and Stony Brook in the America East pecking order.
Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT
Projected Starting Five:
D.J. Irving, Junior, Guard, 11.4 points per game
Maurice Watson Jr., Freshman, Guard, DNP last season
Travis Robinson, Junior, Forward, 5.3 points per game
Dom Morris, Junior, Forward, 6.8 points per game
Jake O’Brien, Senior, Forward, DNP last season
