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Sports
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Week of 16 January 1998 |
Vol. I, No. 16 |
Sports
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Rematch of '97 title game promises to be a bitter battleGame Preview by Brian Fitzgerald Raise the Roof: Drexel's coming to town. "The Roof" is the nickname for Case Gym, which was packed with 2,200 screaming spectators on March 7, 1997, the last time the Dragons were here. That night BU fans painted their faces, held homemade signs, and raised the gym's decibel level to an all-time high. And after the clock ticked down, the Roof rats ran amok as the Terriers emerged victorious, 68-61, to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. But BU (2-2 conference, 7-6 overall) is facing more adversity this year, having lost its last two America East games, to Vermont and Hartford. The Terriers are looking to get back on track with their next two conference contests. Fortunately for the Terriers, both of them are home games: they will play Hofstra on Friday, January 16, at 7:30 p.m. and Drexel on Sunday, January 18, at noon. Then Boston University goes on the road for five straight games, not returning to campus until February 5, when they will seek revenge against Hartford. The Terriers lost only one conference game last year -- a 73-42 blowout at Drexel. Then they never looked back, winning seven straight before bowing to Tulsa, 81-52, in the first round of the national tournament. It was a year to remember, but it's also history. This year players and fans are looking at the Hofstra-Drexel homestand as the most important weekend of the season. Dropping two more conference games would spell trouble for the team.
This season forwards Joey Beard (CAS'98), Walter Brown (CAS'99), and Matt Curley (CAS'99) have performed admirably after Awojobi's departure from BU's frontcourt. But it remains to be seen if the Terriers can equal last year's accomplishments. "The most enjoyable aspect of our success is that it wasn't a magical overnight transformation," says Coach Dennis Wolff. "Instead, it was a gradual process, requiring a great deal of hard work from our entire team. We all know the dedication involved to arrive at this point, and we also know that if we are going to defend our current status or move forward, we must increase our efforts. Fortunately, I think our program is not only ready, but is also anxious to make the extra commitment." Faculty and staff can receive free tickets to the Hofstra and Drexel games by calling 353-GoBU. |
Athletes of the Week
Tom Noble, Jeff Kealty and Levar Folk
In the midst of an offensive drought, the hockey Terriers of late have come to rely on good goaltending and clutch scoring. They received both in their 1-0 victory over Providence College on January 10. Tom Noble (COM'98) made 27 saves and defenseman Jeff Kealty (CAS'98) slapped a shot from the point that found the net with just 37 seconds left in the game.
BU, going into the Providence game, had been victorious in just one of its last five contests and desperately needed a win. Minus forwards Greg Quebec (SMG'00), Albie O'Connell (CAS'99), and Tommi Degerman (SMG'00) because of injuries, the Terriers (6-2-2 conference, 13-3-2 overall) were stripped of their number one national ranking after their 4-2 loss to Boston College on January 9.
But Noble, a native of Hanover, Mass., came through against Providence with his third shutout of the season. He is the top goaltender in the league. Kealty, from Framingham, Mass., scored his fifth goal of the season, enabling BU to remain tied with Northeastern for first place in Hockey East.
Men's basketball guard Levar Folk (MET'99), back in the lineup January 2 after a suspension, poured in 16 points in BU's 65-58 loss to Hartford January 10. The Brooklyn native and Terrier tricaptain also scored nine points in the Terriers' 59-55 loss to Vermont on January 8. This season, like last year, he is third on the team in scoring.
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