Saturday Is Ivy Day

Three Terrier teams will battle Ivy League foes here on campus on Saturday in a triple-header being billed as “Ivy Day.” The fifth-ranked women’s ice hockey team will kick things off against Princeton at Agganis Arena at 3 p.m., and the men’s basketball squad hosts Cornell at Case Gym at 5 p.m. The number-two men’s ice hockey team concludes the day by taking on Brown at Agganis at 7 p.m.

The women’s hockey Terriers face off against the Tigers for just the fourth-ever regular-season home game at Agganis Arena. The BU team, which last weekend earned a split with crosstown rival Boston College, is off to a tremendous start in the 2010–2011 campaign, at 9-2-3 (3-1-3 Hockey East).

The squad had a program-best 11-game unbeaten streak before the November 20 loss to BC. Jenn Wakefield (CAS’12) and Marie-Philip Poulin (SED’14) are tied for second place in Hockey East, with 19 points each. Catherine Ward (GSM’11), who along with Poulin won gold for Canada at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver last year, anchors BU’s blue line and has registered nine points.

Head coach Brian Durocher (SED’78) says fans won’t be disappointed heading to the rink after Thanksgiving.

“Princeton is a competitive, fast-paced, and well-coached team,” he says, “and it’ll be a real battle. We have some tremendous student-athletes, and it’s an exciting and entertaining product. Our team is well worth the price of admission.”

The first 200 fans to arrive at Agganis will receive a complimentary BU knit hat, and following the game will be an autograph session with the team.

Take a short walk over to the Roof at Case Gym after the Terrier women skate to watch the men’s basketball squad take on Cornell at 5 p.m.

After dropping its season-opener to Northeastern, the BU team scored an upset over George Washington in the Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off on November 16. The win snapped the Terriers’ 11-game losing streak to the Colonials and set the stage for a matchup with six-ranked Villanova, the team’s first top-10 opponent since facing number-one Duke in the 2005 preseason NIT. Although they fell to the Wildcats, the Terriers blew by Marist, 58-37, in their home opener November 19.

With an average of 18.5 points per game, John Holland (CGS’09, COM’11) leads the BU offense. Jake O’Brien (COM’12) has averaged 12 points per game.

Through the Terriers’ first four games, Jake O’Brien (COM’12) ranked second on the team, with 12 points per game. Photo by Brooks Canaday

Second-year head coach Patrick Chambers expects an exciting atmosphere at Case Gym during Saturday’s game.

“The game will be a great event,” predicts Chambers, “a chance for family and friends to come out during the holiday break and support our student-athletes.”

A free BU men’s basketball schedule poster goes to the first 200 fans attending the Terrier matchup against Cornell.

When the final horn sounds at Case Gym, finish walking off all that turkey and stuffing and head back over to Agganis to cheer on the men’s ice hockey team when it faces Brown University at 7 p.m. After going undefeated through its first 10 games, BU is now 7-1-4 (5-1-4 Hockey East) for the season, off to its best start since the 1977–1978 national championship campaign.

Leading the way for the Terriers is cocaptain Chris Connolly (MET’12), Alex Chiasson (CAS’13), and Sahir Gill (CGS’12), who have registered 12 points each. Assistant captain David Warsofsky (CGS’10, MET’12) anchors the blue line with 11 points, while rookie Charlie Coyle (CGS’12) has contributed 9 points.

Assistant captain David Warsofsky (CGS’10, MET’12) leads all Hockey East defensemen in points (11). Photo by Brooks Canaday

The Bears are a tough opponent, but head coach Jack Parker (SMG’68, Hon.’97) says his team will be ready to face them.

“Brown has one of the best power plays in the nation, and they’ve had some good wins this year,” notes Parker. “They’ve turned that program around and they’ll be ready. Nonconference games are huge, and we’ll be ready to play.”

Get more information about Ivy Day, Saturday, November 27, or purchase tickets here, call 617-353-4628, or visit the Agganis Arena ticket office, 925 Commonwealth Ave., open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Matt Caracappa can be reached at caracapp@bu.edu.