Saturday, March 16, 2013

CIT Matchup: Loyola Set To Host Boston University

We don't have to wait until after Sunday night's selection show to see which teams fall to the Collegeinsiders.com Tournament. The field, featuring 32 teams from the 23 mid-major level conferences, is already pretty much set.

It is, at least, for two of the three MAAC programs participating. Loyola and Rider already have first-round opponents, while Canisius is still awaiting word on who it will play in its opener.

We'll eventually preview all the MAAC post-season teams' opponents, and we'll start with Loyola's first-round CIT foe ...

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

GAME INFORMATION: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at Loyola's Reitz Arena. The contest is Loyola's first-ever postseason game on its campus. The Terriers are currently a member of the America East Conference, but will be making an annual trip to Baltimore to play Loyola in future years as both programs will be in the Patriot League next year.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY'S RECORD: 17-12 overall, 11-5 in the America East.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY'S KEY PLAYERS: Junior 6-foot-0 junior guard D.J. Irving (14.3 points per game), junior 6-7, 240-pound forward Dom Morris (11.4, 6.4 rebounds), 5-10 junior guard Maurice Watson (11.5, 5.3 assists), 6-3 freshman guard John Papale (9.5), 6-7 sophomore forward Malik Thomas (9.0, 5.3).

NOTES: BU had a six-game winning streak before losing its last regular-season contest. The Terriers, though, were not permitted to play in their league's post-season tournament due to their impending departure from the conference. They haven't played a game since Feb. 28 ... The lineup Loyola fans will see will be pretty much the same team that the Greyhounds will play in the regular season next year. BU doesn't start a single senior, and it's top reserve, 6-5 forward Travis Robinson, is also only a junior ... BU might be small (it starts one 5-10 player and another at 6-0, but it's quick. It also handles the ball well, having more turnovers than assists (394-358), while recording 214 steals on the season, while opponents have only gotten 170 steals in games against the Terriors... Loyola already has 20 victories this season, the first time it has back-to-back 20-victory seasons in its Division I history (beginning in 1981).

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