Terriers No Match for Wildcats

by Sam Tabachnik

Maybe it was the early 11am start. The Boston University women’s basketball team opened their season (bizarre morning tip-off and all) with a 92-58 loss at the hands of the University of Kentucky.

Playing in her first collegiate game, freshman Kristen Sims (’13) led the Terriers (0-1) charge with 17 points. Freshmen Caitlynn Moran ('13) added 10 as her and Sims became the first pair of freshmen since 2004 to record double-digit efforts in their first game. This feat was one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise sloppy game for the Terriers.

Smothered by the Wildcats swarming defense, BU shot just 31.5% from the field and had only 18 points in the paint—a clear indicator that the Terriers were settling for the long-range shot.

Kentucky wasted no time exerting their control, racing out to a 12-2 on the strength of six Victoria Dunlap points.

For a moment, it looked like BU may be able to hang in there versus their Midwestern foes. The Terriers went on a 10-0 run, capped by a Sims trey to trim the margin to tie the score with seven minutes to go in the half.

The Wildcats answered, however, with a 10-0 run of their own and entered the half with a 41-28 lead.

Whether it was an inspirational halftime speech or just a lack of focus in the first half, the home team realized that this game was far too close. A barrage of three pointers by Kentucky’s Carly Morrow to open the half stretched the lead to 21 within the first five minutes. Kentucky kept its foot on the gas for the remainder of the game, never letting the Terriers claw their way back.

The Terriers will shoot for their first win of the season on Sunday when they travel to face UMass.  The Terrier faithful will finally be able to watch their team in the friendly confines of him on Wednesday, November 18, when they host the University of Rhode Island.