BOSTON — Boston University guard Alex Giannaros scored 23 points in the first three quarters, including five three-pointers, as Northeastern fell to their crosstown rival in both teams’ opening game of the regular season, 60-48.
With star forward Caitlin Weimar graduating after last season and transferring to North Carolina State, Giannaros is the only returner on the Terriers this year who averaged double-digit scoring last season — and if Monday afternoon’s game is any indication, she is prepared to be the star for BU this season.
The Huskies simply had no answer for the senior, who was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team last month and is the all-time leader in three-point percentage in both BU and Patriot League history. Giannaros’ 23 points included a stretch of three made field goals in the span of a minute towards the end of the third quarter that effectively put the game away. This included two three-pointers and a layup off of an outlet pass from sophomore guard Aoibhe Gormley that threatened to bring the house down at 5:30 p.m. on a Monday evening.
“We played hard but we just didn’t execute at a high enough level defensively,” said Northeastern head coach Priscilla Edwards-Lloyd. “We let [Giannaros] get a rhythm and get a groove, and in the third quarter, it really hurt us. That’s when they were able to separate.”
Giannaros’ ability to create space was eye-popping, considering she stands at just 5-foot-5, but she routinely shook off Huskies defenders throughout the night. The Huskies outscored the Terriers 14-8 in the fourth quarter to make the final scoreline a bit more respectable, but not enough to change the result.
“We needed to be closer [to Giannaros] and in her space and we just didn’t do that consistently enough, so she was able to get rhythm and then she hit tough shots,” Edwards-Lloyd said. “So, by the time we got where we needed to be, it was already decided.”
Northeastern did have some bright spots in the game, including the performance of redshirt sophomore Abby Jegede. The guard finished with 19 points, behind only Giannaros as the highest scorer on either side. Jegede went 6-for-11 from the field and a solid 7-for-8 from the foul line.
A developing storyline for the Huskies, though, is the absence of sophomore guard Yirsy Quéliz, who is expected to be Northeastern’s starting point guard this season. Edwards-Lloyd confirmed that Quéliz has a concussion and did not have an update on a timetable for her return.
Starting in her place was freshman guard María Sánchez Pitarch, who has more experience than most freshmen, playing with a club team in her home country of Spain before coming to the Huskies, but nevertheless had yet to play a game at the Division I level. While Sánchez Pitarch got the start, it was more of a point guard by committee approach throughout the game for Northeastern. Graduate student guard Bailey Williams and redshirt junior guard Natalie Larrañaga showed some playmaking abilities, and the transfers took advantage of their previous collegiate experience. Still, it was clear that the Huskies missed Quéliz’s presence at the point.
Quéliz did not shoot the lights out from three last season, but her absence certainly didn’t help Northeastern’s deep shooting Monday. They went a dreadful 1-for-16 from beyond the arc, with the only make coming from graduate student guard Maddie Vizza, who went 1-for-4 from deep on the night. The Huskies weren’t necessarily getting bad looks, but all of the misses couldn’t have helped their confidence, especially as they watched what Giannaros was doing to them on the other end of the court.
One other notable stat from the box score is that freshman forward Taylor Holohan, who started the game, played 31 minutes on the night, tied with Giannaros for the most of any player. Northeastern has a bunch of guards and centers, but not many true power forwards who can slot in at the 4, so this likely opened up the playing time for Holohan to step in in her rookie season. She only finished with four points, making some questionable decisions on drives in the paint, but she did log nine rebounds and four steals on the game. Another freshman that was thought to possibly be a good fit at the 4, forward Maya Summerville, did not appear in the game at all, so if she is injured then that might be opening up even more time for Holohan.
Following the loss, the Huskies have a week off before traveling to Chestnut Hill to face Boston College next Monday in a Veteran’s Day matinee, so there is some time for players to get healthy. Northeastern’s last meeting with the Eagles was a nine-point loss last November.
The Huskies tip off at Boston College at 2 p.m. on Monday afternoon. Stay tuned to WRBB for full coverage of the 2024-25 women’s basketball season.