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11/01/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/01/2024 16:35

Both BU Men’s, Women’s Basketball Teams Have Championship Expectations

Both BU Men's, Women's Basketball Teams Have Championship Expectations

Guard and captain Miles Brewster (COM'25) started all 33 games last season, averaging 10.8 points per game. The men's and women's basketball teams will start their seasons Monday at Case Gym in a doubleheader against Northeastern. Photo by Kaeli Talora

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Both BU Men's, Women's Basketball Teams Have Championship Expectations

The two Terrier squads take the floor on Monday for a doubleheader against Northeastern

November 1, 2024
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The Boston University men's and women's basketball teams both ended their 2023-2024 campaigns a tiny bit sooner than they hoped. The men fell to Lehigh in overtime in the Patriot League conference tournament semifinals, while for the second straight year the women lost to Holy Cross in the league championship game.

Neither team will settle for the same results this season. They've made their goal this season clear-a Patriot League championship.

On Monday, the two teams will kick off their season at the Terrier Tip-off, where they will play a doubleheader against Northeastern. The women's basketball team starts their season at 4:30 and the men's basketball team will follow at 7:30, both at Case Gym.

Women's basketball team tired of the same result

Women's basketball captain and guard Alex Giannaros (Wheelock'25) doesn't hold back when talking about the back-to-back championship losses.

"I'm tired of getting to the championship and not being able to get the result we want," Giannaros says. "Going through it back-to-back, it hurts worse the second time than the first time… I don't really have another chance at this."

The Terriers enter this season hungry. They are a team defined by youth, with underclassmen three quarters of the roster. Giannaros says she is excited to lead a young group and that even the freshmen understand the stakes this season.

"I'm excited to be able to show them what it takes to play BU women's basketball and be a part of something that's been growing and growing for the last however many years," she says. "So it's definitely nice to be able to show them what we're all about."

Giannaros is a stand-out player for the Terriers, receiving Preseason All-Patriot League honors. Head coach Melissa Graves says the senior never stopped working after last season's disappointing ending.

"Even from last year she's never stopped putting her foot on the gas, and she's even raised it up a notch," Graves says. "So I'm really excited to see what kind of season she's going to have and how she leads our team."

The coach says the team has a young group of post players who will help fill the loss of star center Caitlin Weimar (COM'24). She also points to forward Anete Adler (Questrom'26) as a player who can take a leap after returning from a season-ending injury last year. Adler averaged 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in eight appearances.

"Her size and her being an upperclassman and knowing the expectation is really going to help us with such a young post group," Graves says. "I'm excited to get her fully back and in the rotation, and she'll still compete for the starting five."

Last season, the Terriers went 10-4 in nonconference play, starting the season with five wins in their first six games. To replicate that kind of start, Graves says, the team needs to concentrate on "discipline" and "focus on the details."

Giannaros is trying to soak up her senior season, she says, and is hoping to see a lot of energy out of the team on Monday evening.

"As long as we do what we've been doing the past few months, we're gonna be okay," she says. "It'll be a fun night on Monday. Get everyone back together, with fans, the band, just being in that atmosphere again-it is going to be super exciting for a lot of people."

Experienced roster to lead men's team

The BU men's team was slow coming out of the gate last season before turning it around. The Terriers ended their season winning six in a row before falling to Lehigh. Captain and guard Ben Roy (Questrom'26) says the team now has high goals entering the season. The Terriers were voted third in this year's Patriot League Preseason Poll.

"Last year we didn't make it to where we wanted to, but I thought we ended the season pretty strong," Roy says. "We have a good core, a lot of good values that we've instilled in this program. We're all really excited about what we can do with this group."

Men's basketball head coach Joe Jones during a recent practice. The Terrier men's team is defined by experience, returning all five starters for the season. Photo by Kaeli Talora

The team's biggest strength is maturity and experience. The Terriers are returning all five starters from last season: guard Miles Brewster (COM'25), guard Kyrone Alexander (Questrom'27), forward Nico Nobili (CAS'26), guard Ethan Okwuosa (CAS'25), and forward Otto Landrum (SHA'26). Head coach Joe Jones says consistency will be key to this season.

"We've all built very meaningful relationships, obviously on the court, but off the court more importantly, and it's very unlikely in college basketball these days to do something like that," Roy says. "The guys are more instilled with team values, rather than their individual selves, so that comes to show what this team's about."

Brewster was voted to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. He started every game last season, averaging 10.8 points and collecting 3.8 rebounds per game. The coach says Brewster's ability to "be coached and held accountable" makes him stand out as a leader on the team. "He is a tough competitor. He really cares about the team. He's improved a ton from year to year," Jones says. "The acknowledgment was valid, judging from development, but he's the heartbeat of our team."

The Terriers have had to deal with the loss of Anthony Morales (COM'24), who averaged 10.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. And while the coach says it is a loss not to have Morales this season, he is confident in the team's ability to make up for it.

Despite the team's experience, Jones says, the two incoming freshmen, guard Azmar Abdullah (CAS'28) and forward Ben Defty (CAS'28), will get playing time. And Roy adds that he's impressed with the compete level of the two newcomers.

The Terriers are hoping to get off to a better start this season. Roy says he wants to see the team take the floor with energy on Monday.

"You get kind of caught up in the moment. You don't really get to appreciate kind of where you are in the present," he says. "Being able to enjoy this season, being able to enjoy every game, enjoy every journey that you take on with your teammates… That's the most important."

The BU women's basketball team hosts Northeastern in the home opener on Monday, November 4, at 4:30 pm. Then at 7:30 pm, it's men's basketball vs. Northeastern. Both games are at Case Gym. Tickets are free for students with a sports pass, $5 for faculty, staff, and students without a sports pass, and $8 for the general public. Fans can stream the action on ESPN+.

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Both BU Men's, Women's Basketball Teams Have Championship Expectations

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