Boston College (1-0, 0-0 ACC) started off its season with a comfortable win, beating the Maine Black Bears (0-1, 0-0 America East) by the score of 85-65. The game got off to a rocky start though, especially for a team returning what many consider to be one of the best backcourts in the ACC. The Eagles struggled to generate early separation, shooting 44% on field goals in the first half and just 2-of-8 from three. Star point guard Ky Bowman had just four points. The bright spot, however, was graduate transfer Deontae Hawkins, who generated offense while the rest of the team struggled. The forward went shot 50% from the field for nine total points, and would go on to finish with a 13 point and 15 rebound double-double.
BC took control in the second half though. An early 7-2 run saw Bowman regain his scoring form. He would go on to finish with a team high 18 (tied with Jerome Robinson). The rest of the team locked down on defense and never let Maine back into the game, outscoring them 50-37 in the second half.
Rebounds were a high point for the eagles. They edged Maine in that regard 51-32, and captured 37 defensive rebounds on 38 missed Black Bear shots.
Robinson also shined offensively, despite a poor day from outside the arc. The junior showed off some superb driving skills and got calls for multiple and ones. Despite a few moments where he seemed to come back up limping, Robinson never left the floor.
But perhaps the brightest spot of all for the Eagles were turnovers. After averaging around 15 per game last year, the Eagles committed just 8 on the night. Nobody in the press box was quite sure when the last time that BC committed just single digit turnovers.
Overall, the game was what it should be: a comfortable win for a team with a few new parts. There was no loss to Nicholls or Hartford. With any luck, it was a win that the Eagles can use as a building block for the rest of the season.