BC makes clutch plays late to hold off NC State

Per David Glenn, if BC had lost Wednesday, it would have been the largest second half comeback in ACC Tournament history. But Robinson made a huge basket and forced a huge steal as BC held off NC State to advance to the quarters. It would have been devastating to lose that game after playing a near perfect first half.

While Bowman started off BC's run and Robinson finished the game, the middle was filled with good minutes from the role players. Pop was great sliding to the basket on breaks and screens. Mitchell was great breaking the press and crashing the boards. Reyes went 5-5 while finishing around the basket. It was really fun to watch.

The only reason NC State got back is because BC allowed some bad 3s. I don't expect adjustments on perimeter defense now, but Christian needs to fix it in the offseason.

BC plays Clemson on Thursday. That too is a winnable game. They just need to keep playing like they did today and they will be tough to stop.

BC Baseball makes the ACC Tournament

Congrats the Boston College Baseball team. By beating Georgia Tech twice on Saturday, the team earned a spot in the ACC Tournament. This is the first time the team qualified for the ACC Tourney since 2010. The teams will play again for the ACC Tourney Opener on Tuesday.

BC runs out of steam against UNC

It was a nice little run there. BC rattled off four straight conference wins amidst Olivier Hanlan's scoring binge. But it wasn't going to last forever...and didn't as UNC controlled most of the game in BC's 81-63 loss. Back-to-back games are tough for deep team. For thin squads like BC, they are brutal. BC didn't get any points from their bench until the game was well out of hand late in the second half.

With the loss, the season is over. BC finished 13-19, 4-14 ACC and 1-1 in the ACC Tournament. That's disappointing to me based on my preseason expectations, but I am encouraged enough with what I saw to think Christian might be a decent coach. I will have more recaps on the season in the coming weeks.

With specifics to this game, here are a few thoughts:

-- Who is the real Dennis Clifford? For two years we kept hearing that a healthy Dennis Clifford would have been a difference maker. With the player we saw as a freshman, that made sense. He was a legit 7-footer with some good offensive skills. Now I don't know what we have. He showed flashes this season and worked hard on D, but I don't know what he can be. He just got man handled the past two days on the boards. Many times by smaller men. The rebounding was better against UNC, but still not enough.
-- Terrible refs. It wasn't the reason we lost the game, but the ticky tack fouls on Heckmann didn't help. You would hope that there was some consistency in a tournament like this. But things were all over the place.
-- Hanlan starts cold. He got his his points and played well enough, but his shots weren't falling early. That contributed to the halftime deficit.

The ACC Tournament doesn't really mean much when you are 12 seed. But I have hope. I have hope that things will matter soon.

No rebounds; No Problems!

When BC fell behind six with a minute and a half left, I thought this run was over. But Hanlan made a clutch pullup to give BC the 66-65 win. It was a clutch comeback and keeps BC alive in the ACC Tournament. It wasn't a good performance, but style points don't matter. All BC needs to do is regroup and play better against UNC on Wednesday. Here are some other thoughts:

-- Missing Magarity. Magarity is not a Swedish Dennis Rodman, but another big man would have helped. GT's bruisers controlled the boards and the game. I don't know why Christian didn't have the guards help more. When he finally did, Batten made some good stops.

-- Need more from Brown. As much as "good" Heckmann makes a difference, a "bad" Brown can undermine it all. He was totally out of it. Not only were his shots off, but he dribbled wildly into traffic too often. Hopefully he shakes it off.

-- Big plays from our best player. He had a big second half. He made shots down the stretch and he made our final basket. This might be the end of his BC career, but at least he is going out playing his best basketball.

Now we get to do it all again! This wasn't the start I hoped for, but I still like the UNC matchup. Let's roll. 

In-game comments post: ACC Tournament

This could be the start of something or BC's last game during a transition season. I am hoping (and believing) that we make a strong statement and start a mini-run. Leave your thoughts and comments below.

You can also follow me on Twitter.

Can BC make a run in the ACC Tourney?

Let's get the obvious out of the way: 12 seeds don't win Conference Tournaments. There is too much to overcome and they usually are ranked 12th for a reason. BC's not going to win the ACC Tournament, but...I still believe we can create some problems for the unlucky teams we face.

Winning the first game is key and BC is actually favored against Georgia Tech. We beat the Jackets in a close game earlier this year, so there is no reason to think we won't this time. We've improved and they've gotten worse. They will also be without Marcus Georges-Hunt and Chris Bolden. Their coach Brian Gregory is clearly on the Hot Seat. I don't expect them to come out fired up. I think BC controls from the tip.

After that we would take on North Carolina. Even with their recent struggles, the Tar Heels would be favored in the game. But I think BC could pull off an upset. The teams have similar issues (interior) so it could come down to our guards vs theirs. If Hanlan gets hot and the other guys play halfway decent...it could happen.

The winner of UNC-BC would play Louisville. This is where the double-byes start to impact the tournament. Playing a fresh team would be a major disadvantage. However, the Cards are without Chris Jones, who had 28 in our first game. Is that enough to swing things?

BC has nothing to lose. There is no NIT bid on the line and certainly no NCAA Tournament spot. This is really about playing well, showing pride and building something long-term. We can do it. Who's with me?

In-game comments post: BC vs Miami ACC Tourney

Yesterday turned out to be historic. Winning today would be equally big and probably get us into the NIT. Let's hope it is another fun game.

Go BC!

Wow

The image above is from Olivier Hanlan trending nationally on Twitter. A 41-point game will do that. I didn't expect that and I don't think anyone expected it when BC fell down 15-0 early in the game. But improved defense and a lights out day from BC's freshmen turned the game on its head. There will be plenty of superlatives for Hanlan in the next few hours. Let's start with the most points by a freshman in a ACC Tournament game. It was also the most points a BC player has ever scored in a Conference Tournament game.

Likes
-- Hanlan obviously. The scoring is going to get talked to death, so let's focus on the defense. Hanlan had three steals and his pressure helped turn the momentum in the game.
-- Contagious scoring. One player can lift the other players in so many ways. Other guys started knocking down 3s too. We converted 58% from beyond the arc.
-- Ryan Anderson stepping up. I don't know if he didn't want a freshman showing him up or wanted to get in on the fun, but Anderson broke out a few tricks today too. Donahue didn't like the hotdogging, but you have to like his ability to get his shot off.

Dislikes
-- The start. Georgia Tech got a little lucky on some shots, but I still didn't like that the guys came out in a fog. Great teams don't do that.
-- The refs. Complaining about the refs is lame, but I am going to do it anyway. Georgia Tech kept hacking our guys near the basket. The same thing happened last weekend. Donahue needs to work the refs a bit.

In-game comment post: ACC Tournament Opener

Since so many of you are at work, I thought it might make sense for a comments post. Leave your thoughts on our game below.

Go BC!

Can BC win at least one ACC Tourney game?

Prior to the season and even in down times, I stuck to my prediction that BC would win a minimum of five ACC regular season games and at least one ACC Tournament game. I obviously missed on the regular season prediction. The team had its moments but never showed the steady improvement that I had hoped for. The ACC also turned out to be better than I thought.

But with the ACC Tournament set to begin, my second prediction still has a chance to come true. The oddsmakers aren't feeling my confidence. BC enters the game as a 12-point underdog. That expected as we are the 12th seed and NC State is a bubble team needing a win.

I'm hanging my hope on a few nuggets from our first two games against the Pack. In the first game, we got down early on the road yet kept fighting. Sloppy play was the main issue then. I think BC's improved enough in that front to avoid another 17-turnover disaster. The second game in Conte was closely fought. BC slowed the pace and went back and forth in the second half. However, they couldn't score down the stretch and NC State won by five.

For this game I think BC will also slow things down. In addition to the usual keys (3-pointers and turnovers) is CJ Leslie. Wood put up big points but the difference between the two games was BC's defense on Leslie. Anderson will get most of the minutes guarding him, but I do think we should double him on occasion with one of the guards. If Leslie has an off shooting night and is kept off the boards, BC might actually turn the ACC Tournament into a multiple night stay.

One down, one critical game to go

BC beat Wake Forest, but not in the way I predicted. Instead of beating them inside, BC bombed away from 3 to pull away early and hold on in a sluggish second half. There wasn't much to say beyond that. BC played at their ideal tempo and ideal style. The defense was good and other than Raji's shooting, everything was good.

Yet the win against a weaker opponent and a few other dominoes around college football have BC among many "last four in" listings. I am not buying it. Enough other bubble teams have popped this week, plus some of our good wins are looking better (Texas A&M) and one of our bad losses (Harvard) is looking better. If we beat Clemson we are a lock. If we lose close, we are still probably in. If we lose big and some other bubble teams make a run, we may have a frustrating Sunday.

Although it is a bad matchup for us, I think we can beat Clemson. The Tigers are a good defensive team (problem No. 1). They play well on the perimeter (problem No. 2). They have a fairly functional offense (problem No. 3). So basically Clemson frustrates you and doesn't beat themselves. That is sort of what happened earlier this year. We got down, Biko was cold and our comeback was too late. However, things are slightly different now. We have tweaked the rotation, have improved our transition defense and have done a better job of slowing down big men.

I think we will win on Friday. In addition to Biko playing better, I think Raji will also play better than he did in the ACC opener. I think we will hit more 3s. I also think we will come out motivated knowing that the NCAA bid is on the line.

In-game comments post: BC vs Wake Forest

Hopefully today's opening round of the ACC Tournament is uneventful. We'd all love to see BC cruise to victory and give us some breathing room...but we all know better at this point. Leave your comments on the day's activity below.

For those at work, remember that you can catch the action on ESPN3 or at theacc.com (depending on your market). If you are like this blogger you will be on a plane in the second half.

I will have a recap and tournament outlook late tonight. I will have more immediate reactions throughout the day on twitter.

In-game comments post: ACC Tournament

Since this is a day game and many will be at their PCs, it only makes sense to have a in-game comments post. Virginia is undermanned and on a major losing streak. This shouldn't even be close...but we have the most inconsistent team in the conference! Let's hope this is the start of a nice run and not the end of a season.

Leave your comments below.

Randoms thoughts and pictures from the ACC Tournament

This is all after the fact so I will keep it short.

Virginia
Ugly, ugly game. The silver lining (outside the win) was Sanders. They really had no answer for him. As his handle improves he will be very dangerous. He is just too strong for most wing players to guard close to the basket. I also wanted to mention the good crowd from Thursday night. There weren't a ton of BC fans, but because the building was about a 25% full, you could see the various pockets around the Dome. They were load and I would argue, outnumbered the UVA fans.

Duke
Writing this now, it is only more frustrating, that we gave the eventual ACC Champs their toughest game. I was most impressed with the defense. Duke's offense caused BC to switch off repeatedly and the guys did a great job with help and not getting exploited. Rice was one on one with Singler a few different times, yet Duke was never able to burn BC with the mismatch. I thought the refs were terrible but that is to be expected in a Duke game.

The final 34 seconds were not great. The first possession...I didn't care for Sanders forcing the shot. Then followed by a bad inbounds. We got lucky on the Scheyer miss. I didn't mind the final shot though. It was a heave but Sanders had space and hit the front of the rim. As I wrote after, this team should feel good about next week.

Here are my pics from the weekend. I apologize for the suckiness and lack of any linear progress. When the game gets close I forget to take out the camera. Plus we were behind the basket both nights which created a few obstacles for good shots.

So close

That hurt. Not so much because they lost to Duke and couldn't put together two good possessions in the final 34 second. More so, because they played hard and climbed out of holes twice and didn't finish it off. All that said, I am encouraged about next week. This team can play with anyone and over the past month showed they are more than just Rice.

I'll have photos from the weekend and more thoughts later on Saturday.

P.S. Congrats to the hockey team on their win.

In-game comments post: Duke (ACCT Quarter Finals)

Can we do it again? We will find out shortly.

I will be at the game and not online. Leave your comments and thoughts below. Let's go Eagles!

The Sanders show

Another ugly final 10 minutes marred a great game from Rakim Sanders. By the time UVA was done fouling, only the diehard BC fans were still in the Dome. This win erases all bubble talk (we were already in anyway). I'll have more coherent thoughts Friday morning.

Big shout out to the Band. They did a great job (as always) and really made the BC faithful feel at home.

In-game comments post: Virginia (ACCT Opening Round)

The ACC Tournament opened today and already saw a huge upset as Geogria Tech knocked off Clemson. I'm glad we fell to the sixth seed instead of playing the Jackets again. For those looking for a quick overview of UVA, here is Kenpom's scouting report for the Cavaliers. BC is currently favored by 4.5.

I will be at the game and not online. Leave your comments and thoughts below. Let's go Eagles!

ACC Tourney Game Watches

ACC Tournament time, means time for local Game Watches. If you haven't been to a Game Watch before, give it a shot. They are a great way to connect with local alumni and fans and most importantly, watch the event with a BC friendly crowd. The following clubs will be hosting watches for Thursday night's game against Virginia. I won't mention their plans for Friday night (don't want to jinx things). For more information check with your local chapter. If there are any locations I overlooked or informal gatherings, just send me a note or leave a message in the comments.



Atlanta pre and postgame
Stats
300 Marietta St
Atlanta



Chicago Game Watch
Finley Dunnes Tavern
3458 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago


Phoenix Game Watch
Turf Accountant Restaurant & Irish Pub
705 N. First Street, Phoenix


Washington, DC Game Watch
Porter's Dining Saloon
The corner of 19th and M, Sts. NW and is walking distance from the Dupont Circle, Farragut North, and Farragut West Metro stations

Rest up, we are in the late spots for the ACC tourney

By finishing 6th in the ACC, BC will face No. 11 Virginia in the night cap slot on Thursday. The tipoff is scheduled for 9 PM ET, but the game never starts on time. Look for it to begin at 9:15 at the earliest and probably closer to 9:45.

If BC advances, we'll be in the late spot Friday night too. The ACC has the split deal with Raycom and ESPN for the tournament. For those in Raycom markets, you'll see BC. For those outside Raycom's coverage map, you'll have to watch the first round in a bar or via one of ESPN's package outlets (360 or Fullcourt). Friday's game will be on ESPN 2.

If you are making the trip to the ATL, remember there is a BC event Wednesday night. For those interested in two sport double headers, the baseball team is also in town this weekend too.