Previewing Boston University’s 2020 men’s college lacrosse schedule

The Boston University Terriers are the 35th team in our 2020 men’s college lacrosse schedule preview series and the fourth team from the Patriot League. BU finished 11-6 overall in 2019 and 5-3 in Patriot League play. The Terriers fell to Lehigh in the Patriot League semifinals and saw leading scorer Chris Gray transfer to North Carolina.

Here’s their entire 2020 schedule:

Who’s In?

• UMass Lowell River Hawks (2/15)
• Bellarmine Knights (2/22)
• Utah Utes (4/4)

Who’s Out?

• Dartmouth Big Green (15-8 W)
• Sacred Heart Pioneers (16-11 W)
• Vermont Catamounts (12-4 W)

Circle These Dates

• 2/1 vs. Providence: It’s become one of the more exciting games of the opening weekend. The last three meetings between the two teams have been decided by a goal and won by BU, including an 8-7 win last year thanks to 24 saves from Joe McSorley. It’ll be the first time we see the Terriers without Gray and James Burr leading the offense.
• 2/29 at Colgate: After winning three straight games against the Raiders, Colgate has taken the last two meetings, including a 9-7 win in Hamilton last season. BU goes back on the road to face the Raiders again, who will look to rebound from a disappointing end to 2019 and hope to qualify for the Patriot League Tournament.
• 3/14 at Holy Cross: The Crusaders are definitely a team on the rise in the Patriot League. Holy Cross recorded their first season at .500 or above in 2019 for the first time in over 30 years thanks to then-interim head coach Peter Burke. BU has taken the last three meetings in the battle for the Turnpike Trophy, including a 15-11 decision last season thanks to a combined 17 points from Gray and Burr.
• 3/17 at Harvard: BU’s past two losses to the Crimson have been heartbreaking. In 2018, the Terriers had a six-goal lead with 7:06 left in the game, but Harvard came back to tie it up and eventually win it in overtime. The following year, BU had a five-goal lead late in the third before Harvard came back yet again and took a late lead. Despite a Chris Gray goal with a second left in regulation to force overtime, Nigel Andrews gave the Crimson their second straight game-winner, this time in triple overtime.
• 4/18 at Lehigh: The Terriers wrap up the regular season with the top three teams in the conference a season ago. In-between Loyola and their regular season finale against Army West Point is a road game against Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks took both meetings last year, including a one-goal decision in the Patriot League semifinals. Both times, Lehigh’s defense stood tall and held BU scoreless for a good chunk of the final quarter. BU only had one win against the Mountain Hawks all-time back in the 2017 Patriot League Tournament.