Boston College Hoops Look Ahead And The Big Finish
by Brian Favat on Jan 14, 2011 1:44 PM EST
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PrintBrian: Jeff has escaped the snow of South Carolina for some place warm, so we bring in BCRaj for this week's Big Finish.
In the last two games, the Eagles have gotten two big ACC wins over Georgia Tech (86-75) and N.C. State (75-66). Now the Eagles hit the road, with three of their next four ACC games occurring away from Conte Forum. BC starts their road trip tomorrow against Miami, returns home Wednesday to face Virginia before back-to-back road games at Florida State and Duke. It's a rather tough stretch and will be a very good test for Coach Donahue and the Eagles.
How do you see the next four games going down?
BCRaj: If I had to pick one thing Donahue has done for the current Eagles team, it's keeping the team focused and loose at the same time. I think we will be a very good road team and I hope to come out 3-1, but am expecting 2-2 with losses to Florida State and Duke, because of our inability consistently defend and break the press. Games are almost always within reach when you are hot from three, so you can never count this team out.
Brian: BC's 3-0 ACC record is a bit misleading, considering the Eagles don't play a lick of defense. Would you agree? Even in a down year in the ACC, I think the Eagles will struggle to get above .500 in ACC play. What's your outlook on the rest of the regular season? How far can this BC team go this year?
BCRaj: Starting off conference play 3-0 is impressive no matter who the opponents are, but you are onto something. The Eagles have been shooting the ball from 3 extremely well, while limiting turnovers, making up for their lack of defensive prowess. We must keep in mind they have yet to really grind out a win, and as we get deeper into the season and the opponents improve and fatigue becomes a problem, teams usually need to rely on defense to eke out some wins.
Getting to .500 in conference play would require us to go 5-8 the rest of the way, which by no means is unattainable with the lack of a clear #2 in the ACC, but becomes increasingly difficult when defense is not a contributing factor. We'll know a lot more as we go into February, and hopefully get to see how this team responds to a losing streak to know what the ceiling is for this team. With a four game slate to end the season that includes Miami, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Virginia, we could be in the position to finish 9-7, which would be great for a first year coach, but I'd expect a couple more WTF losses a la Yale and Harvard and look to finish 7-9.
Big Finish
Brian: ESPN's Eamonn Brennan has the Eagles ranked 5th in his latest ACC hoops power rankings. That cool with you?
BCRaj: Totally cool, especially since the difference between no. 2 and no. 6 looks to be minimal in the ACC.
BCRaj: Coach Crawley and the 14-3 BC women's team continue their hot start with a win over #13 Maryland Thursday night. Surprised the lady Eagles aren't ranked?
Brian: Not really, especially with 3 losses. Aren't half of the teams in the women's hoops rankings still undefeated or have just 1 loss?
Brian: Former BC staffer Bill Coen is having a rough go of it at Northeastern this year. Any question in your mind Donahue was the better hire?
BCRaj: I've always been a Coen fan, but can't really question the Donahue hire at this point with his results.
BCRaj: Dave Shinskie has his sights set on getting the starting QB job back. Do you think Uncle Dave has a chance?
Brian: Umm, no.
Brian: The football team is a 150/1 long shot to win next year's BCS National Championship. You liking those odds?
BCRaj: And by like you mean? Let's just say I'll keep my money in my pocket this year.
BCRaj: N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe referred to Reggie Jackson as a first round NBA draft pick. Are you confident Reggie will return for his senior year?
Brian: Not if the Eagles keep winning and Jackson's stock keeps going up ...
Brian: Mark Herzlich won this year's Rudy Award. Great honor, or slightly diminished because it's named after a Notre Dame walk-on? (and how long 'til they start calling this the "Herzlich Award"?)
BCRaj: Anytime you win an award its a good thing for BC. Hmmm, I like the way that sounds. Herzlich Award.
BCRaj: Nine out of the 54 players selected in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft were from ACC programs while eight were from Akron. What happened to the ACC's big name appeal?
Brian: MLS teams apparently love players from National Championship teams.
Brian: Last one. Boston College vs. Miami on Saturday. kenpom predicts a 77-74 loss for the Eagles. Who ya got? What's the final score?
BCRaj: BC in a rout 80-67, with Trapani contributing 20+ pts. Sorry Kenpom.
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Next's Years QB is still unsettled
BCRaj: Dave Shinskie has his sights set on getting the starting QB job back. Do you think Uncle Dave has a chance? Brian: Umm, no.
Easy to say “Umm no” without much thought. But look at the numbers; look at the games Rettig has played. Can we really annoint him next year’s starter? I think not and I hope not.
Rettig was not good at the Kraft Bowl — 14 for 34. While there were a few drops, that does not account for 20 misses. Nevada was the worst pass defense BC saw all year, and Rettig could still not make the right reads, or the right plays. Sure there were a few bright spots during the game, but I must say that Rettig still has a lot to prove. I hope Dave is serious and makes this Spring an interesting competition.
and by the way, why do you think Dave is speaking out publiclly? He knows Rettig is not as good as advertized and there is still a chance for a Shinskie comeback. In other words, Rettig’s play has not impressed Shinskie to the point where he is intimidated. Rather, Shinskie is pumped to compete and beat Rettig!
"Umm, no."
Written with a bit of tongue n’ cheek.
More serious answer: doesn’t it largely depend on who the next OC is?
Hopefully there’s a good competition between Rettig, Shinskie and Suntrup (?) in the spring.
BC Interruption, SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
missed the toungue n' cheek
but, yeah, hope there is a major competition. Rettig needs competition. OC matters tooo… (aside: I can’t beleive that GDF is going the loyalty route and picking as OC an insider who helped preside over the 2010 horrible Offense…we need new blood)
Rettig does not have anything close to the Flutie or Ryan’s winner’s attitude …. which is what worries me most (ok, the horrible accuracy from the Bowl, also worries me)……Compare him to Danny O’Brien.. I like O’Brien — he seems to have that I-must-win edge going.
Every time I think I have this basketball team figured out, they do something crazy. Lose to Yale and Harvard, start 3-0 in the ACC with wins over all big 6 conferences. Tough to peg this team this year but they’re definitely better than last year.
If BC wins as Raj says (and if they do it could end up being a very close game), you’d have to like BC’s chances of going 5-0 with a home game against UVA next. (The Hoos are a little improved but check their ESPN page…lots of national stat ranks in the 200s) If that happens, I would struggle to see a way where BC doesn’t finish over .500 in the ACC, even without defense. Beating Miami is key though.
Soaring to Glory: A slightly relevant BC blog
5-0 sets BC up pretty good to get above .500 in ACC play, but the sched gets must tougher after UVA: at Florida State, at Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, at Clemson, Maryland, at North Carolina
Hard to see BC winning a majority of those games.
BC Interruption, SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
by Brian Favat on Jan 15, 2011 11:44 AM EST up reply actions
They’ll also still have Miami at home, UVA, and Wake, at least two of which should be imminently winnable. If BC takes care of business in those, they wouldn’t necessarily need to win a majority of those games.
The ones right now I say are near-certain losses are at Duke, maybe at FSU, and at Clemson (not only has BC not won there, they haven’t come close, though that was under Purnell). UNC will be tough on the road, they could be had at BC, VT might be a 1-1 split, Maryland will be tough again.
Soaring to Glory: A slightly relevant BC blog
by SoaringtoGlory on Jan 15, 2011 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
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