BC beats Providence again

Maybe BC just needed some games against Providence to get better. They beat the Friars again Saturday. This leaves their Hockey East record respectable (8-3-2) while the overall record still lags (8-11-2).

Basketball falls to Providence in OT

That's what a rivalry game should be like. The only problem was BC lost. The refs didn't help the cause, but some defensive lapses combined with Providence making a clutch shot, forced OT. In OT, BC never got control and was constantly trying to chip away at the Friars' lead. They never did catch them.

Chatman had a big night. Bowman and Tabbs put up points but not by shooting well. Pop didn't play. If any of those guys are at 100%, BC wins the game with ease.

That would have been a nice non-conference win. Instead it is just another frustrating loss.

BC upsets PC!

Writers use the analogy of Jekyll and Hyde when you don't know what version of a team will show up for each game. But I think the tag is fair for this year's BC Basketball team. How else can you explain a team losing to these low rung programs and then beating an Auburn or upsetting Providence?

BC did a lot right in this game, including exploding in the second half. Jeffers had his best game of the season. He looked good on the pick and rolls, played really good defense and made big plays all over the court. Bowman ran the point (for good reason) and converted his shots at a high rate. Chatman's 3s fell and that certainly helped.

It wasn't all perfect though. BC still turned the ball over too much and had issues with pressure as Providence made a late comeback. The other news of the day was that freshman Ty Graves is leaving. This had been rumored, but losing a young player with good upside is always disappointing. Fortunately Bowman seems capable. I don't take Graves' departure as a sign of program problems. When you sell playing time and a guy sees someone in his own class ahead of him (Bowman), you can see why he would bail.

The guys will have a few days off for Christmas and then start up back on New Year's Day against Syracuse. Who knows what team will show. Hopefully it is this one.

BC wins the White Out

Forget about the win for a minute, but that is more like how a BC game should feel. There was energy on the court and in the stands. Even if some of it was Providence fans, at least there was noise and emotion. The game wasn't sold out, but showed that an early, out of conference game can still be interesting. The actual game was good too. The first half was close. In the second half BC pulled away and held onto the lead in the final minutes. It is too early to call anything a signature win, but I think this showed that Christian and his new players are making a difference. Last year's team rarely showed this much intensity or focus. Other thoughts:

-- Defensive rebounding! I can't remember the last time we rebounded that well on D. We also turned some of those defensive rebounds into quick uptempo possessions. It was nice to see.
-- Batten opening up the offense. He freed up Hanlan and certainly helped defensively. I don't mind going small with him out there. He seems to also have a toughness and competitiveness the team has lacked for years.
-- Magarity's maturity. He's getting better nearly every game. He can now play defense like a real center.

Not how you want to start a season

One game doesn't make a season...especially one as long as basketball. Yet I feel like BC will look back on this game as a wasted opportunity. It was a chance to get a decent road win and start the season on a positive note. Instead this veteran team looked lost for long stretches and dropped a game in OT to Providence. It is the type of loss that shifts a team from a lock to a bubble. At least that is what I am telling myself. Because the other explanation for the poor performance -- that we are not that good -- means the season will feel even longer. These are my thoughts. Feel free to share yours.

Likes
-- Ryan Anderson's offensive productivity. He got his points within the flow of the game. I also think the new defensive rules will help him. Bigger defenders will have to give him a little more space.
-- Garland Owens looks athletic. He ran well and finished on a nice alley oop. He played a lot of minutes for a freshman and didn't make many mistakes. I hope he can use that to play better D.
-- Tying the game in regulation. The only true bright spot for me was the team's ability to overcome a late deficit and get it to OT. Maybe this was a bad night and they can play that well under pressure if they need to later in the year.

Dislikes
-- Offensive pace. This team is supposed to score over 70 a night. They only crossed that threshold because of OT. On way too many possessions, the guys were slow in the half court. There was no sense of urgency. No sense of purpose with the passes and way too much hesitation. The guys looked like they had never played together. Where is the anticipation of your teammates? Why didn't we drive more when they were crowding the perimeter and why didn't we get more transition points?
-- Turnovers. Too many of those TOs were errors, not great Providence D.
-- 3-point shooting. It is one thing to miss a bunch but even worse to not take more. Wasn't that supposed to be a calling card?

It is only one game but this team needs to regroup quickly. They need to make better decisions, shoot better and not waste so much time and possessions. If they don't this season will be over before we even play an ACC game.

Basketball holds off Providence

I don't know if the basketball team has turned a corner. But Saturday's win over Providence was very encouraging. They made some shots, executed in the final minutes and got good games from all the critical players. Here are my thoughts. As always, leave yours below.

Likes

-- Ball movement. The team played well and it started with smart, purposeful passing. I really liked some of the decisions Rohan and Jackson made.

-- Anderson finishing near the basket. Great mix of strength and touch. He converted a huge basket late.

-- Solid minutes from Odio and Caudill. With Van Nest hurt and Clifford far from 100% we need these two guys to provide some energy and solid defense. They did.

Dislikes

-- Defensive switches. I don't know if it was poor communication or Providence being quicker, but our guys had lots of issues on defense. There were multiple times when 

-- ESPN3's feed. I've been a big proponent of ESPN's online service, but today was not good. There were multiple stretches in the second half when the stream died. If they want fans to accept it as an alternative, they need to make sure the performance and quality are good.

-- Guard depth. The freshmen were good, but I don't love the idea of them playing all 40 minutes. This is one of those stretches where we could use Jordan Daniels.

Baby steps in loss to Providence

Things are getting better. BC still lost, but the team kept it close for most of the game.

The best part of the game was a breakout performance by Jordan Daniels. With Moton's ankle hurting, Daniels played most of the game. He played good defense and was pretty controlled on offense. If he develops quickly he will ease the pressure on some of the other freshmen and open up the offense.

The team also made a lot more shots. We know they can shoot and we know the staff is loaded with guys who teach shooting, so for most it is only a matter of time before shots start falling. The bigger issue is staying aggressive on offense.

I'll have more on the basketball team on Friday.

Basketball back on track (for now)

After the disaster in the Caribbean, I feared that the season could unravel as early tonight. Fortunately we beat Providence without Rakim and without making a 3-pointer. I didn't see the game, but it looks like we were much more efficient on offense, better on the boards and less careless with the turnovers. If anyone saw the game, feel free to leave your thoughts below.