What to watch for

BC has its third game of the season tonight against Buffalo. These games are gimmes. The first true test will come this weekend in Las Vegas. But just because the games are never in doubt doesn't mean there aren't any takeaways. Here are things to look for to gauge the team's ability before conference play.

1. Blocks. Losing Nate was not a big deal. Losing Nate and Sean Williams was. The two accounted for 80% of the blocked shots last year. Blocks were a key part of our defensive success. With Williams' return still in doubt the team will need to step it up defensively. Not sure who will fill the void, but if we are not blocking any shots we'll struggle come conference time. Look for at least a 1.7 blocks per game average heading into Michigan State as a good indicator of success.

2. 3-point defense. Our continued Achilles heal. The success in this department is mostly about perimeter defense and rebounding. If Craig is rebounding on the defensive end our numbers improve. It is also about rotation on the perimeter. This is on Hinnant and Rice. It will be interesting to see how they work together. I don't have a desired percentage or average, but watch how many the other teams makes and how many second chances they get off of their misses.