Wolff might sit Corey against Albany... but I don't believe it

The Albany Times-Union is reporting (via Albany message board Big Purple Fans) that Coach Wolff is considering benching Corey in tomorrow's game at Albany:

It will be a “game-time decision” whether Boston University junior guard Corey Lowe will play at the University at Albany on Thursday night, according to BU assistant sports information director Scott Ellis.

Boston U. head coach Dennis Wolff is thinking about sitting Lowe, the team’s leading scorer at 17.6 points per game, because he was ejected from the Terriers’ 19-point loss to Holy Cross last Friday. Lowe received two technicals, one for shoving a Holy Cross player and one for arguing with an official.

Couple things - I thought both fouls were for talking to the refs after questionable foul calls, not shoving anybody. And I don't think he was ejected, he just racked up 5 fouls including the T's, so he fouled out. Some conferences have a rule that if a player accumulates 2 technicals in a game, he must sit out the next game -- however, the America East does not have this rule.

I highly doubt Wolff will sit his best player for this very important game. The main reason for this is that I don't think he was that mad about it! After the second technical, which was given for almost nothing done on Corey's part, Wolff didn't even look mad - I think he was happy one of his players cared enough to get fired up. And after the first technical, Wolff was so ripshit about the call that he HIMSELF got T'd up for arguing it.

Here's what's going on: Opponents have been focusing on tightly defending Corey Lowe on the perimeter over the last few games, which is a big reason why he's been off his game and our 3-pt shooting has suffered. If Wolff can plant the seed of doubt that Corey might not play, that forces Albany's Coach Will Brown to create a whole new defensive gameplan, instead of devoting all their practice/scouting toward stopping Lowe. Why else would he have his S.I.D. just deliver that information to an Albany journalist?? I'm thinking Dennis is engaging in a little gamesmanship here.

Wolff has benched players before, so it's possible - but count me surprised if Corey doesn't play tomorrow.

Time to tame the Danes

So it comes down to this. We need to beat a team that we haven't beaten in 3 years, or the season is over.

Albany was one of the two teams (along with UMBC) that we didn't beat this year, and neither was really a close game. In the first game, Brian Lillis was everywhere on the court dumping 27 points on us, and we were severly out-rebounded on both ends of the court. In the second game, just 6 days ago, BU kept it close since Lillis had foul trouble, but contributions from young guys like Josh Martin and Al Turley put the Danes out front. Both were over 10-point losses.

But the tournament is a different animal. Luckily for us, Martin and Turley jinxed themselves by getting mohawks, along with Brett Gifford, the dumbest-looking kid alive. I can't wait to see these. They are going to regret doing this to themselves.

On the other side, you have BU. Coach Wolff undoubtedly has them focused on the task at hand. They aren't fazed by the prospect of beating a team that has already beaten them twice. In a year when seeds #1 through #7 don't matter much, this is a good year to be a #6. I have all the confidence in the world that Wolff can outcoach Will Brown and come up with a game-plan to win.

It's going to take big contributions from John Holland, Corey Lowe and Scott Brittain. Add to that the return of Tyler Morris, who has come back from injury and has been practicing like normal since Wednesday, and Carlos Strong, who will both need to put up some points.

These guys can do this.