Instant takeaways from BU women's basketball's 55-38 victory at Loyola Maryland
The Terriers held Loyola Maryland to 31.3 percent shooting in a wire-to-wire victory.
Not much has gone right for the Boston University women’s basketball team this season.
But the Terriers knew that a win over Loyola Maryland on Wednesday night would vault them right back into the mix for a first-round home game in the Patriot League tournament.
BU never trailed as it earned that crucial victory, 55-38, at Reitz Arena in Baltimore, Md., pulling even with the Greyhounds (9-16, 3-11 PL) for the eighth-place spot in the Patriot League.
Here are four takeaways from BU’s wire-to-wire victory…
BU’s offense struggled (until the fourth quarter), but its defense provided a much-needed victory.
BU (9-16, 3-11 PL) and Loyola both had trouble scoring. In the first half, both teams shot 33.3 percent from the field. The Terriers were 9 for 27. Loyola was 7 for 21.
In the second quarter, the Terriers were scoreless for just under four minutes to begin the frame and another three and a half to end it. It took over five minutes for BU to score its first field goal in the second half.
Yet, despite stretches of offensive shortcomings, the Terriers leaned on their defense. Loyola was forced into 17 turnovers (read below) and shot just 31.3 percent from the field. BU forced multiple shot clock violations as the Greyhounds struggled to manufacture quality looks against a stout defense.
Loyola was held scoreless for over four and a half minutes late in the third quarter. BU surged on a 9-0 run to take a 37-25 lead.
Through three quarters, BU shot just 12 for 38 from the field. But the Terriers were a staggering 7-for-9 shooting in the final frame.
BU crucially won the turnover battle.
Turnovers were the story of BU’s loss at Colgate on Saturday. The Terriers committed 21 giveaways, tied for their highest mark during Patriot League play, and lost by 20. In addition, BU only forced 10 Colgate turnovers.
“At the end of the day, it came down to our turnovers,” head coach Melissa Graves said after Saturday’s loss.
But on Wednesday night, BU dominated the turnover battle, 17-7. In the first half, BU had only committed two giveaways to Loyola’s 11.
BU’s full-court press, which was set up after made baskets, thoroughly disrupted Loyola’s offensive rhythm. BU had trouble scoring on the offensive end, but it took care of the ball with no real issues.
Aoibhe Gormley provided the spark BU needed.
Gormley was everywhere on Wednesday. The sophomore guard matched her season high with 16 points while shooting 6 for 6 from the field and 4 for 5 from the free throw line. She added 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a team-high 3 steals.
Gormley scored six of BU’s first 12 points, capped by a steal at midcourt and a transition layup, which forced Loyola Maryland head coach Danielle O’Banion to call a timeout. Those early contributions gave BU an early 12-5 lead.
Midway through the third quarter, the Greyhounds had cut BU’s lead to just three points. The Terriers hadn’t scored a field goal in the half. But Gormley ended the field goal drought with an and-one layup that pushed the BU lead to six. One possession later, she weaved through the Greyhound defense for a right-handed layup.
To begin the fourth quarter, Gormley jumped a passing lane and glided alone in transition for a layup that gave the Terriers a 13-point advantage.
The Terriers attacked the paint (and were rewarded with trips to the free-throw line).
Loyola Maryland sports the smallest frontcourt in the Patriot League. Its starting forwards are each 5-foot-11, and its tallest player is 6-foot-2. BU took full advantage.
The Terriers outscored Loyola 34-18 in the paint. BU’s relentless rim pressure also led to frequent foul line trips. BU shot 16 for 23 from the charity stripe. Loyola only attempted 6 free throws.