Scott Wood, G, North Carolina State

When I think Scott Wood, I think pure shooter. NC State is a team full of super-athletic slashers, but Wood is the only true and consistent deep threat. The 6’6″ senior averaged over 12 points per game this season.

Joe Rahon, G, Boston College

Flying under the radar because he played for a sub-.500 team, freshman guard Joe Rahon provided just the right amount of spark (26 points) needed for BC to take down a respectable Clemson team. Keep his name in mind: this first team selection might not be his last.

Ryan Kelly, F, Duke

What more can I say about Ryan Kelly? He can play inside. He can play outside. He shows up in huge games. The success of the Blue Devils is directly contingent upon his health, and it’s only his health that kept him out of my ACC White Kid of the Year running.

Alex Len, F/C, Maryland

The bad news for Terps fans: you’re not making the NCAA tournament unless you win the ACC tourney this weekend (which is as likely as Penn State winning the B1G tourney). The worse news for Terps fan: you’re probably not getting Alex Len back next year, so your chances are screwed for next year, too. This kid can play. Beg him to stay.

and finally, the ACC White Kid of the Year Award goes to…

Mason Plumlee, F, Duke

Everybody should have seen this coming. Yes, I may be a tad bit biased because Mason’s success is a direct result of my mentorship and coaching, but that bias is evened out by the fact that I hate Duke basketball more than Satan himself. Mason earned it, though his leaping ability makes me question the true color of his skin.

The Eagles came roaring back in the second half to beat Maryland, a team coming off a narrow 83-81 upset of then No. 2 Duke, by double digits, 69-58.

For the Eagles, the first half was plagued by missed jump shots and sloppy passing. Maryland dominated from the field and went on a 9-2 run in the final minutes to take a 33-26 lead into the locker room. The Terrapin charge was led by Logan Aronhalt, who scored 15 points in the half.

After halftime, though, the game quickly turned in favor of the Eagles. Olivier Hanlan and Joe Rahon started off the second half with three-pointers, followed by another three by Ryan Anderson.

The real momentum shift occurred about eight minutes into the second half when Eddie Odio came up with a big defensive rebound that got the crowd chanting his name. After a missed alley-oop by the Terps, the Eagles went into a timeout at 11:45 up 41-38.

Right after the timeout, Rahon stole the ball and assisted a layup by Hanlan that got the crowd cheering and kept the Eagles on top.

Olivier Hanlan’s 19 second-half points sparked BC’s comeback win (photo credit: Sua Yoon)

The Terrapins kept the game interesting throughout the second half.  Jake Layman hit a three with seven and a half minutes left to give Maryland a 45-44 advantage.  But that lead was short lived.

The next few plays resulted in several lead changes between the teams. The Eagles slowly regained a comfortable lead, and a spin move by Hanlan into a jumper put BC up 59-50 with 2:02 left.

The Terrapins were never able to come back.  They started intentionally fouling the Eagles with about a minute remaining, but the strategy did not work against the Eagles, who went 21 for 22 from the charity stripe in the game, a marked improvement from previous games.

The Eagles were up 65-58 with less than a minute remaining when a traveling call on BC got the Superfans worried.  But Odio came up with another huge defensive play and stole back the ball, regaining the confidence of the crowd.  The Eagles held on to the lead and won the game.

Hanlan shined for the Eagles with a career-high 26 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Lonnie Jackson ended the game strong with 13 points.

The fan favorite, though, was Odio. The sophomore had eight points, including two dunks in the first half, and a career-high 11 rebounds.  He got the crowd chanting his name several times and made a career-high six blocks to hold Terrapin center Alex Len. Len scored 19 points against Duke last Saturday.

With the win, BC improved to 12-14 (4-9 ACC) on the season.

The Eagles will play Duke this coming Sunday in Durham.  The team suffered a heart-breaking loss to the Blue Devils at home last week, but the win against Maryland surely boosted their confidence and prepared them for a competitive game this weekend.

By Julia Burkett

Another evening of college basketball and hockey are in the books, and below are their summaries.

Men’s Ice Hockey:

Salve Regina 7, Becker College 1 –Peter Gintoli netted three goals and recorded one assist for the Seahawks, while David Graham scored a power play goal for the Ice Hawks in the second period. The loss drops Becker to 1-10-1 in the ECAC Northeast and 10-12-1 overall.

Nichols College 3, Johnson & Wales 0 – Alex Larson recorded his second shutout of the season with 27 saves, while Frank Butler recorded one goal and one assist. With the win, Nichols improves to 15-7-1 overall, 8-3-1 in ECAC Northeast play.

Men’s Basketball:

Boston College 66, Wake Forest 63 – Joe Rahon sank two free throws with seven seconds left, which capped an 8-0 run and provided the Eagles with their 11^th win of the season. Patrick Heckmann paced the Eagles with 14 points, while Rahon and Ryan Anderson netted 12 points, respectively.

Delaware 76, Northeastern University 74 (OT) – The Huskies four-game winning streak concluded with their first setback since January. Jonathan Lee paced Northeastern with 23 points and Quincy Ford added 21 points.

UMass Lowell 74, Stonehill College 63 – The River Hawks secured a 12-point lead and never looked back, as they defeated the Skyhawks in Easton. UMass Lowell’s Akeem Williams registered 22 points, five assists and three rebounds in the win, while Jack Cole and Brian Hamor each netted 16 points for Stonehill.

New Haven 70, Assumption College 64 (OT) – Tim Beinert’s tip-in at the buzzer forced an extra session. However, the additional five minutes didn’t help the Hounds, as the Chargers charged past the visitors for their 15th win. Assumption’s Kevin Donahue led all scorers wit 21 points.

MIT 69, WPI 60 – The Engineers from Cambridge ballooned a six-point lead at the break into a nine-point victory. Mitchell Kates led MIT with 16 points, while Marco Coppola registered a game-high 22 points.

Regis College 79, Newbury College 66 – The Pride extended their current winning streak to five games by defeating the second place Nighthawks at home. Newbury’s Tim Young scored a game-high 21 points, while Regis’ Carlos Bermudez-Glean poured in a team-high 18 points.

Women’s Basketball:

Navy 59, Holy Cross 39 – The Crusaders struggled to contain Navy’s Alix Membreno, who finished the contest with 11 points and 11 rebounds, which helped the Midshipmen to their 15^th win of the season. Holy Cross’ Christine Ganser led the unit with nine points and four rebounds.

Stonehill College 103, UMass Lowell 93 – Bianca Simmons scored a game-high 35 points, but that wasn’t enough for the visitors, as the Skyhawks soared to their 19^th win of the season. Asia Ewing and Tori Faieta each netted 22 points in the win, while Mary Louise Dixon added 19 points.

Assumption College 78, New Haven 69 –Gabrielle Gibson tallied a career-high 32 points, along with 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Hounds defeated the Chargers in Connecticut.

Babson College 71, Clark University 46 – Sarah Collins matched her career-high with 30 points, Kristen Ferola and Alicia Wilde each netted 10 points and the Beavers extended their current winning streak by beating the Cougars. Clark’s Emily Reilly led her unit with 19 points.

By Andrew Kahn

The fact that the Michigan-Wisconsin game was not the wildest of the weekend tells you something – in this case, that there was a five-overtime game. In a week full of upsets, this weekend was no different. In addition to some of the surprises mentioned below, California won at No. 7 Arizona on Sunday. No. 8 Miami was expected to beat North Carolina, but not by 26 points. The madness has come a month early.

Five-overtimes in South Bend

Anyone watching Saturday night’s Notre Dame-Louisville game, which didn’t end until Sunday on the East Coast, will likely never forget the details of their viewing experience. You’re excused if you went a bit delirious watching. When Louisville’s Chane Behanan hit a free throw to put No. 11 Louisville up 56-48 with 50 seconds left in regulation, well…hopefully you didn’t change the channel. That’s when Jerian Grant, who had been quiet most of the night, went on a tear, hitting three difficult three-pointers and converting an and-one on consecutive possessions to close regulation and tie the game at 60. Five overtimes later, No. 25 Notre Dame had an improbable 104-101 victory. Russ Smith had several chances to win it for Louisville but his shot selection was, to put it kindly, questionable. Garrick Sherman scored 17 points for the Irish despite not entering the game until overtime.

Half court buzzer beater

While Saturday ended in chaos in South Bend, it began with madness in Madison. Wisconsin’s Ben Brust beat the buzzer from half court to send the game into overtime, where Trey Burke’s three at the buzzer rimmed out, giving the Badgers a 65-62 victory. No. 3 Michigan figured it had the game won when Tim Hardaway, Jr. hit a difficult three with 2.4 seconds left in regulation. The Wolverines did not foul Wisconsin before the eventual buzzer beater, just as the Badgers didn’t foul Michigan on the final possession of overtime.

Kansas loses third straight

Down two with 1:30 left, Kansas dared Oklahoma to shoot from the outside. Freshman Je’lon Hornbeak pulled the trigger, hitting his only field of the game, a three-pointer that propelled the Sooners to a 72-66 upset of the No. 5 Jayhawks on Saturday. After losing to Oklahoma State and TCU (yes, TCU), Kansas has now lost three in a row for the first time since February 2005. There’s no telling how far they might fall in this week’s poll. They host Big 12 leader Kansas State in a must-win game tonight.

Big Ten battle

In what many tabbed as the best match-up of the weekend, No. 1 Indiana earned by far its best road win of the season, beating No. 10 Ohio State 81-68 on Sunday. Victor Oladipo shot 8 of 10 from the field and 9 of 10 from the foul line for a career-high 26 points. He was one of three Hoosiers who scored at least 20.

Eagles soar over Duke, sort of

It looked like no top-5 team would escape the week without a loss, as the No. 4 Blue Devils had to sweat out a final shot attempt against ACC basement dweller Boston College on Sunday. The shot was nowhere close, and Duke won 62-61. Despite the loss, Boston College delivered the play of the game, turning an in-bounds pass into a spectacular alley-oop. Joe Rahon, taking the ball out from under the Duke basket, lobbed it for Eddie Odio, who had curled around a screen into the paint. Odio slammed it home as a Duke defender contested to cut the deficit to one.

Andrew Kahn is a contributor to CBS Local who has written for ESPN the Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. He writes about college basketball and other sports at http://andrewjkahn.com. Email him at andrewjkahn@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @AndrewKahn.

By Andrew Kahn

The fact that the Michigan-Wisconsin game was not the wildest of the weekend tells you something – in this case, that there was a five-overtime game. In a week full of upsets, this weekend was no different. In addition to some of the surprises mentioned below, California won at No. 7 Arizona on Sunday. No. 8 Miami was expected to beat North Carolina, but not by 26 points. The madness has come a month early.

Five-overtimes in South Bend

Anyone watching Saturday night’s Notre Dame-Louisville game, which didn’t end until Sunday on the East Coast, will likely never forget the details of their viewing experience. You’re excused if you went a bit delirious watching. When Louisville’s Chane Behanan hit a free throw to put No. 11 Louisville up 56-48 with 50 seconds left in regulation, well…hopefully you didn’t change the channel. That’s when Jerian Grant, who had been quiet most of the night, went on a tear, hitting three difficult three-pointers and converting an and-one on consecutive possessions to close regulation and tie the game at 60. Five overtimes later, No. 25 Notre Dame had an improbable 104-101 victory. Russ Smith had several chances to win it for Louisville but his shot selection was, to put it kindly, questionable. Garrick Sherman scored 17 points for the Irish despite not entering the game until overtime.

Half court buzzer beater

While Saturday ended in chaos in South Bend, it began with madness in Madison. Wisconsin’s Ben Brust beat the buzzer from half court to send the game into overtime, where Trey Burke’s three at the buzzer rimmed out, giving the Badgers a 65-62 victory. No. 3 Michigan figured it had the game won when Tim Hardaway, Jr. hit a difficult three with 2.4 seconds left in regulation. The Wolverines did not foul Wisconsin before the eventual buzzer beater, just as the Badgers didn’t foul Michigan on the final possession of overtime.

Kansas loses third straight

Down two with 1:30 left, Kansas dared Oklahoma to shoot from the outside. Freshman Je’lon Hornbeak pulled the trigger, hitting his only field of the game, a three-pointer that propelled the Sooners to a 72-66 upset of the No. 5 Jayhawks on Saturday. After losing to Oklahoma State and TCU (yes, TCU), Kansas has now lost three in a row for the first time since February 2005. There’s no telling how far they might fall in this week’s poll. They host Big 12 leader Kansas State in a must-win game tonight.

Big Ten battle

In what many tabbed as the best match-up of the weekend, No. 1 Indiana earned by far its best road win of the season, beating No. 10 Ohio State 81-68 on Sunday. Victor Oladipo shot 8 of 10 from the field and 9 of 10 from the foul line for a career-high 26 points. He was one of three Hoosiers who scored at least 20.

Eagles soar over Duke, sort of

It looked like no top-5 team would escape the week without a loss, as the No. 4 Blue Devils had to sweat out a final shot attempt against ACC basement dweller Boston College on Sunday. The shot was nowhere close, and Duke won 62-61. Despite the loss, Boston College delivered the play of the game, turning an in-bounds pass into a spectacular alley-oop. Joe Rahon, taking the ball out from under the Duke basket, lobbed it for Eddie Odio, who had curled around a screen into the paint. Odio slammed it home as a Duke defender contested to cut the deficit to one.

Andrew Kahn is a contributor to CBS Local who has written for ESPN the Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. He writes about college basketball and other sports at http://andrewjkahn.com. Email him at andrewjkahn@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @AndrewKahn.

If you think that we left somebody out of the rankings, let us know on twitter: (@TCTHoops)

1) TJ Warren – 6’8’’ 233 – NC State, Fr.

Stats:

26 MPG, 11.9 PPG, 61.9 FG%, 50 3PT%, 3.6 RPG, 0.7 APG, 1.0 SPG

Breakdown:

TJ Warren gets the #1 ranking as a result of his efficiency on the offensive end of the floor and his ability to consistently contribute to one of the best teams in the nation. Warren has been the best freshman in the conference this season as a result of his all-around scoring ability. Warren is currently leading the ACC conference in offensive efficiency with a shooting percentage of 52.6%. At this point in his career, Warren is primarily a dead-eye shooter from mid-range. He excels at coming off of screens and hitting the jumper, as well as utilizing the pump fake in order to create space for a one or two dribble pull up jumper.

While he has shot 52.6% from long-range, Warren is not a three-point shooter, and he has only made a total of 10 three-pointers this season. Overall, Warren shows a ton of potential, and has the ability to become one of the best scorers in the ACC by the time he leaves for the NBA Draft. His percentages and all-around performance this season have earned him the #1 ranking. With the imminent departures of Richard Howell to graduation and CJ Leslie to the NBA, look for Warren to establish himself as one of the premier players in the ACC conference next season.

2) Rasheed Sulaimon – 6’4’’ 185 – Duke, Fr.

Stats:

29.5 MPG, 11.8 PPG, 42.7 FG%, 41.4 3PT%, 3.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1 SPG

Breakdown:

As a former 5-star recruit, Rasheed Sulaimon came into Duke with lofty expectations. Sulaimon was one of the best pure shooters in the class of 2012, but has struggled with his consistency and offensive efficiency throughout his freshman year.  While he is shooting just 40% from the field for the season, Sulaimon has displayed his long-range marksmanship and is currently shooting 40.5% from behind the arc. He is a great athlete at the 2-guard position and has the handle and athletic ability to finish at the rim.

Since Duke entered conference play this season, Sulaimon has stepped up with the loss of Ryan Kelly. In #1 Duke’s win over Maryland last week, Sulaimon set a career-high with 25 points on 9 of 13 shooting from the field, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range. While he has had a great freshman year, he still has a lot of room to grow his game. He needs to be a more committed defender and use his athleticism to be a constant aggressor on the defensive end of the court. Overall, Sulaimon has been exceptional as a role player for the Blue Devils. His marksmanship and scoring prowess have earned him the #2 spot.

3) Olivier Hanlan – 6’4’’ 188 – Boston College, Fr.

Stats:

34 MPG, 13.8 PPG, 41.8 FG%, 29.9 3PT%, 4.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.2 SPG

Breakdown:

Olivier Hanlan came into Boston College with a major reputation after excelling in his prep career at New Hampton Prep. A member of the Canadian U-18 National Team, Hanlan has stepped into a starting role with the Eagles and has excelled from game one. The 6’4’’ guard played at the point guard position throughout his entire high school career. He has shifted over to the 2-guard spot in order to make room for fellow freshman Joe Rahon. His experience at the point guard spot is evident in his play on the court, as Hanlan displays a high basketball IQ and rarely makes the wrong decision. Hanlan has a lean, muscular physique, which he uses to be an effective on ball defender. He has quick hands, good anticipation and has the ability to be a terror in the passing lanes. He is currently 13^th in the conference and leading his team in steals per game.

Hanlan is a well-rounded talent and makes an impact in every aspect of the game. He plays a great second fiddle to BC’s star forward Ryan Anderson, and is currently second on the team in points, rebounds and assists. He would be higher on this list if he improved his efficiency from the field, but he is shooting 41.8% on the season, including just 29.9% from three-point range. If the Canadian can continue his recent trend of production, he has the ability to make his way up the rankings. Over BC’s last 14 games, Hanlan has posted double digit scoring totals in 13 of them. As he improves his consistency from behind the arc, he will become a much more versatile and efficient scorer.  Simply put, Hanlan has the potential to develop into one of the best all-around talents in the conference.

4) Devin Thomas – 6’9’’ 240 – Wake Forest, Fr.

Stats:

25.8 MPG, 8.2 PPG, 50.7 FG%, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.4 BPG, 0.9 SPG

Breakdown:

Thomas has been the best freshman big man in the ACC conference this season. Thomas made a name for himself in high school with an emphatic alley-oop dunk that shattered the backboard during a state tournament game. Thomas pairs his athletic ability with an incredible motor, and has the talent to excel on each end of the floor. In comparison to other ACC freshman, Thomas ranks in the top 10 in field goal percentage, points, rebounds, and blocks. Thomas’s athleticism and explosive vertical allow him to be an absolute monster on the defensive end, shown by him being currently ranked 9^th in the conference in blocks per game. On the offensive end, he displays excellent touch around the rim and solid footwork in the post.

In order to expand his game and become a more all-around scoring threat, Thomas needs to improve the range and the overall consistency of his jumper. A major issue for Thomas has been his ball security. Thomas is a liability when handling the ball on the perimeter, shown by his leading the Demon Deacons in turnovers per game from the forward position. With the graduation of CJ Harris after this season, Thomas’s scoring role will increase next season. This offseason is vital in Thomas’s development. If he is able to improve his ball security and add range to his jump shot, Thomas has the ability to become a consistent double-double threat for the Demon Deacons.

5) Brice Johnson – 6’9’’ 187 – North Carolina, Fr.

Stats:

12.9 MPG, 7.3 PPG, 55.9 FG%, 4.2 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 0.5 SPG

Breakdown:

Out of every player on this list, Johnson is the only one who receives less than 25.9 minutes per game. In fact, the Tar Heels Freshman doesn’t even average half of that. Johnson is an incredible talent from the forward position. The lengthy freshman has exceptional athleticism for his size and is an explosive dunker. This season, he has been extremely efficient on the offensive end and currently leads UNC in field goal percentage at 55.9%. In terms of the minutes he has played, Johnson has easily been the most productive player on the UNC team. Simply put, if Johnson received the playing time he deserved, he would be in the Top 3 of these rankings. When compared to other ACC freshman, Johnson ranks in the Top 10 in field goal percentage, points and rebounds.

While he got off to a great start this year, both Johnson’s production and minutes have decreased lately. In UNC’s first 13 games, he reached double-digit scoring totals in 8 of them. Since UNC entered ACC conference play, Johnson has scored 10 points or more in just 1 game over the 7 game span. In order for Johnson to improve, he must add 10-15 pounds of muscle over the offseason. While it is not clear while Roy Williams has limited his minutes in recent weeks, it is likely because of his inability to matchup on the low block against stronger forwards. With the likely matriculation of James Michael McAdoo next season, Johnson’s playing time will increase exponentially. With an increase in playing time, Johnson has the length and ability to become 1^st Team All-Conference. He is THAT good.

6) Rodney Purvis – 6’3’’ 195 – NC State, Fr.

Stats:

29.5 MPG, 9.7 PPG, 43.4 FG% 41.3 3PT%, 2.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.6 SPG

Breakdown:

Rodney Purvis is one of the most fun players to watch in the ACC. The 6’3’’ combo guard is lightning quick and has the ability to go from 0-60 in a hurry. He has great strength for his size, and uses his tight handle to get into the lane at will. Purvis was not known as a shooter from the perimeter coming out of high school, but he been consistent from behind the arc and has shot 40.7% from deep this season. The major weakness in Purvis’s game at this stage in his development is that he is one-dimensional, offering little more than his scoring prowess. While averaging 29.5 minutes per game, Purvis only averages 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

While Purvis has had his struggles throughout the season, he has stepped up his offensive game since NC State began ACC conference play. Over the 8 game span, Purvis is averaging 11.5 points per game and is shooting 45.1% from the floor, including 44.8% from behind the arc. With the graduation of Scott Wood and Richard Howell after this season, look for Purvis to take on more of a scoring load during his sophomore year. If he can continue his development and become a more all-around player, his talent suggests that he can become one of the premier guards in the conference.

7) Marcus Georges-Hunt – 6’5’’ 218 – Georgia Tech, Fr.

Stats:

27.5 MPG, 10.2 PPG, 41.9 FG%, 28.6 3PT%, 4.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1 SPG

Breakdown:

As a freshman, Marcus Georges-Hunt has been able to step into the Georgia Tech lineup and become the team’s offensive leader from the first day of the season. He is currently leading the Yellow Jackets in scoring with an average of 10.2 points per game. Georges-Hunt is able to excel on the offensive end as a result of his size, strength and tenacity. He has a tight handle and uses his strength to finish with authority at the rim. Georges-Hunt has displayed his versatility over the course of his freshman year. In comparison to other ACC freshman, Georges-Hunt ranks in the Top 10 in field goal percentage, points, rebounds, and steals.

Georges-Hunt also possesses the strength and motor to be a presence on the boards. He uses his size and strength to gain position and box out his assignment. His strength is also essential on the defensive end of the floor. His strength and athleticism allows him to defend multiple positions and prevent his assignment from penetrating into the lane. In order to round out his offensive game, Georges-Hunt needs to improve his overall consistency as a shooter. He is currently shooting just 29.3% from behind the arc and has made just 17 shots from the perimeter all season long. Overall, as he refines his shot and becomes a more consistent scorer, Georges-Hunt’s has the versatility to develop into one of the best wings in the conference.

8) Robert Carter – 6’8’’ 245 – Georgia Tech, Fr.

Stats:

26.4 MPG, 10 PPG, 45.6%, 30 3PT%, 6.6 RPG, 1 APG, 0.8 BPG, 0.8 SPG

Breakdown:

Robert Carter is an absolute freak of an athlete at the forward position. At 245 pounds, Carter has great agility and athleticism for his size, as well as the ability to step out and be a consistent scorer from 15 feet. Carter displays great hands and has great touch around the rim, but needs to continue to develop his footwork and moves in the post. Carter has the strength and ability to develop into one of the best rebounders in the conference. He is currently leading the Yellow Jackets in rebounding with an average of 6.7 per game.

At 6’8’’ 245 pounds, Carter is a great post player and an effective passer out of the low block. In comparison to other ACC freshman, Carter ranks in the Top 10 in field goal percentage, points and rebounds. Carter’s recent trend of performance shows that he has finally put it all together. In Georgia Tech’s win over Wake Forest last Saturday, Carter set a career high with 20 points on 9 of 10 shooting from the floor. Overall, Carter’s combination of skill and agility allow him to be a monster in the post. As he continues to develop, his progressing offensive game and rebounding ability will allow him to be one of the best big men in the ACC.

9) Joe Rahon – 6’2’’ 195 – Boston College – Fr.

Stats:

35 MPG, 10.3 PPG, 41.3 FG%, 34.3 3PT%, 3.6 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.1 SPG

Breakdown:

Similar to teammate Olivier Hanlan, Joe Rahon has stepped up for Boston College when given the opportunity to start. As the point guard for the Eagles, Rahon has done it all this season. When compared to other ACC freshman, Rahon ranks in the top 10 in field goal percentage, points, assists, steals and assist to turnover ratio. On offense, Rahon has a good handle, and has displayed exceptional vision as a distributor. As a scorer, he relies primarily on the three-point shot. According to hoop-math.com, 57% of Rahon’s shot attempts have come from behind the arc.

Rahon would be much higher on this list if he hadn’t struggled recently. In Boston College’s first 13 games, Rahon posted double-digit scoring totals in 8 of them. Since the Ealges entered ACC conference play, Rahon has scored 10 or more points in just 3 of 9 games. In BC’s lost to Wake Forest on January 12^th, Rahon scored just 2 points on 0 of 7 shooting from the field, and set a career-high with 5 turnovers. Despite his recent struggles, Rahon has shown signs of turning it around. Against Clemson on February 2^nd, Rahon scored a career high 26 points on 9 of 12 shooting from the floor. If he continues to put up big numbers, look for Rahon to make his way up the rankings.  As he progresses, Rahon and his fellow freshman Hanlan have the ability to become one of the best backcourts in the conference.

10) Codi Miller-McIntyre – 6’3’’ 195 – Wake Forest, Fr.

Stats:

28.6 MPG, 8.2 PPG, 41 FG%, 34.8 3PT%, 2.5 APG, 2.6 RPG, 0.6 SPG

Breakdown:

Codi Miller-McIntyre has been very effective at the point guard spot for the Demon Deacons this season. He has a great handle, which allows him to penetrate into the lane and finish at the rim. He has excelled at the point guard spot and is currently leading Wake Forest in assists. When compared to other ACC freshman, Miller-McIntyre ranks in the Top 10 in field goal percentage, points and assists. During his freshman year, Miller-McIntyre has become a big game player. In the three games that Wake Forest has played against teams ranked in the AP Top 25, Miller-McIntyre has averaged 14.6 points per game, while shooting 48.6% from the floor.

As a scorer, Miller-McIntyre is very effective at dribble penetration; however, he is limited to shots within 10 feet of the hoop. While he is shooting 35.9% from behind the arc this season, he has made a total of just 14 threes so far this season. In order to become a more all-around scoring threat, Miller-McIntyre needs to improve the consistency of his jumper and become a more consistent mid-range shooter. According to hoop-math.com, 40% of Miller-McIntyre’s shots come from mid-range; however, he is converting on only 32% of his 2-point jumpers. Overall, Miller-McIntyre has showed a lot of potential during his freshman season. As he develops, he has the ability to become one of the best distributors in the conference.

The Corner Three by Amory Weld is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://thecornerthree.me/.

Rahon was shut out and Boston College was stymied by the No. 8 Hurricanes, who won 72-50 on Tuesday night.

The young Eagles shot 37 percent, including 5 for 23 from 3-point range.

“That’s what you see in freshmen and young players,” coach Steve Donahue said. “We’re not a team that necessarily understands how we’re going to win every game. We’re just trying to develop that.”

Boston College (10-12, 2-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost to Miami for the second time in three weeks, and for the sixth consecutive time.

The Hurricanes (18-3, 9-0) have won 10 consecutive games and are 10-0 in their on-campus arena, winning each of the past three home games by at least 22 points. They’re the last unbeaten team in league play among the major conferences.

“When you start believing in yourselves, it snowballs,” Donahue said. “You have a team with an incredible amount of confidence. They are talented, they’re older and there are not a lot of weaknesses.”

The Hurricanes’ ranking this week is their highest since 1960, and they’ve already equaled the school record for ACC victories in a season. But they’re not resting on their laurels.

“The moment you get distracted, it’s like driving your car and texting at the same time,” coach Jim Larranaga said. “It’s too easy to get into an accident.”

Junior Rion Brown tied a career high with 22 points off the bench. Kenny Kadji scored 10 points during a span of four possessions to start a second-half surge.

Kadji finished with 16 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes for the Hurricanes, who went 11 for 22 from 3-point range. They held an ACC opponent to 50 points or less for the fourth time.

Rahon, who was averaging 10.8 points per game, missed all four shots he attempted, including a trio of 3-pointers. He had scored 26 points Sunday in a victory over Clemson.

“Obviously the radar goes off for Miami,” Donahue said. “They did a good job getting after him, and the shots weren’t there.”

Durand Scott had 11 points and seven rebounds for the Hurricanes, while Shane Larkin added 10 points and five assists.

“We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Larkin said. “We’re having a pretty special season.”

But the Hurricanes’ streak of sellouts — a rarity for the perennially overlooked program — ended at two games. Attendance was 5,149.

Olivier Hanlan scored 16 points for the Eagles. Ryan Anderson had 14 points and 11 rebounds, butMiami outrebounded Boston College 42-30.

The game matched teams at the top and bottom of the ACC, but there was no letup by the Hurricanes. Scott went sprawling to the hardwood in the opening minute to corral a loose ball. Another scramble sent two Hurricanes diving to the court in pursuit, and Miami hit the boards hard from the start.

“We have a senior-laden team, and those guys are very hungry,” Larranaga said. “They’re having fun playing together.”

When Boston College reduced its deficit to six points early in the second half, Miami responded with a 17-4 run to put the game away. The spurt started with the 6-foot-11 Kadji — often a force inside — causing damage from the perimeter.

“I can do both,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me. Whatever the team needs. Just call my name, and I’ll do it.”

Kadji sank a runner, hit a 3-pointer, converted a four-point play and then made one of two free throws for a 43-29 lead.

“Daggers,” Donahue said of Kadji’s baskets.

For some, however, these New Year’s Resolutions actually do a world of good. They can help provide that little push needed to change for the better. For the Boston College basketball team, there are still many things for Steve Donahue to work out before they can become a force in the ACC. These five changes need to last beyond February 1, 2013. They even need to last beyond this season. The young team that takes will take the Conte Forum floor against NC State on January 5 are just a few steps away. Make the changes now and they just may be better for it.

1. Get Rid of the Ryan Anderson “Pouty Face”

There is no denying that Ryan Anderson is the best player the Eagles have and a potential First Team All-ACC performer. This is also no denying that Anderson, at least mentally, is every bit a college sophomore. Although his game-to-game consistency has improved from a sometimes dynamic freshman season — a three-game post-injury stretch aside — he still is liable to disappear for stretches of games when shots aren’t going down or opposing bigs are pushing him around.

It’s times like these that the 6-foot-8 forward breaks out a face that has come to be known by my friend, and fellow Eagle Diehard, TBuck and me as the Ryan Anderson Pouty Face. After getting manhandled on the block and not getting the call or not receiving the feed when he sneaks into open space on back-to-back possessions, Anderson goes into a shell and appears to check out for stretches. To his credit, Donahue is often quick to notice these lapses and bring his star to the bench to get his head straight, but to truly become an all-ACC player, he needs to remove that element from his game altogether.

Ryan Anderson displays the pouty face after the Eagles are upset by Bryant (Photo Credit: Jim Davis/Boston Globe)

It’s not a definite each and every game, but the big men Anderson will be forced to take on in conference play will often be bigger, stronger and more well-coached than those from the local New England schools he’s been feasting on in late 2012. They’ll know they can get to him and unless he is prepared to fight through it, the Eagles as a whole will suffer.

2. Work to Make the Extra Pass

Coach Donahue loves to play fast, but when his teams settle it down in half-court sets, the focus is ideally working from the inside out. In this situation, the onus is on the big man to make the right pass out to the perimeter. Anderson is not yet an above-average passer and all the praise for Dennis Clifford’s touch and vision has been little more than platitudes in practice. That said, aside from the odd ill-fated toss out of the post — an issue that is more on continued inexperience than anything else — the big man have not been the problem.

Anderson averages more than an assist a game and Clifford’s numbers are hardly relevant with the number of minutes he’s lost to injury. By comparison, Greg Monroe, a big man who is considered an “elite” passer, is lauded for an average of 3.2 assists with the Detroit Pistons. Assists are even harder to come by in college, but at Georgetown — an offense that puts any Boston College reliance on putting a passer in the pivot to shame — he was still below four, at 3.8 per game. The problem starts when the ball reaches the first man on the outside.

Occasionally, helping on the block or a missed rotation will open up a shooter or a sublime cross-court will lead to a wide-open three, but that is the exception, not the rule. Where the true secret to the offense lies is in making the extra pass, getting the defense moving. The best look is often in the hands of the third or fourth guy to touch the ball since post entry. This is where BC is still a step slow. The first guy to catch the ball on the perimeter often holds the ball too long, allowing the defense to rotate back into position. If the Eagles’ young guards can keep the ball ahead of the defense, they might just be able to do some damage in the ACC.

3. Settle on Rotations

Knocks picked up by Clifford and Anderson through the early parts of the season have not exactly helped BC. Andrew Van Nest stepped up for brief periods, but has returned to his more anticipated role of bench warmer as of late, with Donahue drastically shortening his bench. In fact, seldom do the Eagles go more than seven deep, with mere token minutes for the likes of KC Caudill and Danny Rubin. Four players average more than 30 minutes per night, with Joe Rahon pushing over 35 minutes. Olivier Hanlan isn’t far behind and Lonnie Jackson has been seeing the same type of time — if not more — in recent games.

If his first two seasons have been any indication, Donahue likes to tinker with his players minutes early in the season before settling into a tight, well-oiled unit later in the year during conference play. It’s a strategy that makes sense, but there needs to be more confidence in the bench. Hanlan and Rahon battle each and every night, even as they play big minutes. However, this is their first time through the grind of a full college basketball season. Many freshman hit a wall in the long days of January and February, and they likely don’t play nearly as many minutes as the Eagles’ young backcourt duo.

These shorter rotations may give BC the best chance to win on any given night, but hopefully Donahue will see the need to settle into some deeper rotations and allow his young phenoms some time to catch their breath.

4. Be Ready to Battle in the Post

For many mid and little-majors, the separation between them and the big boys of college basketball runs through every aspect of the institution. In many games, however, one simple aspect stands out: size. Now, the Eagles aren’t the biggest team in the country, and that’s by a wide margin. But most of the teams they played in early season matchups didn’t have a true seven-footer to matchup with Clifford. Anderson, with his post up game and ability to step away from the hoop as well, is a nightmare for many smaller school players to try to guard. In the ACC, there will be no such issues.

Teams like NC State and Miami live with big lineups. Teams like Maryland and Duke run their offenses through dynamic post threats. Day in, day out, Anderson and Clifford going to have to live with being pushed off the block. They have the skill, it’s just up to them — and Eddie Odio, Van Nest and Caudill when they see minutes — to take the battle to the other team. Back down, and the battle is already lost.

5. Box Out!

A sudden increase in quality big men on the other side of the line doesn’t often bode well for a team that already can struggle from time to time on the boards. Anderson is an elite rebounder, but will have to work even harder to keep it up in the ACC. As a freshman, the forward had a frustrating tendency to rebound to the ball, rather than by boxing out and putting a body on his man. When the competition is just as athletic, if not more so, it can be a recipe for disaster. The freshman guards already do a great job crashing the boards and helping out, so it’s up to the big men to hold their own and limit the Eagles’ opponents to one shot each time down the floor.

In the 1960s, Santa Clara had a short-lived live Bronco mascot.

What to watch: Santa Clara’s Mark Trasolini versus Ryan Kelly. He’s not the Broncos’ leading scorer, but the 6-9 senior forward is the most efficient scorer, averaging 16.3 points on 57% shooting. In Santa Clara’s two losses, he has shot just 3-of-10 from the floor. In the last three games, he has averaged 23.7 points on over 68% shooting, adding 4-of-6 three-pointers, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. Duke’s Ryan Kelly has held some good opposing big men (and versatile big men at that) to low point totals this year, and Duke’s going to need his defense yet again against a sneaky-good Santa Clara squad.

Random Santa Clara facts: In the mid-1960s, Santa Clara had a live bronco (briefly) that was so strong, he could pull a section of folded bleachers unassisted. The handler discovered this after he tied him to the bleachers while he went to get a hot dog, only to come back when he heard the crowd roaring as the bronco was running across the field). At least they were empty?

Prediction: Duke, 95-73. Both of Santa Clara’s losses have come in overtime, but their best win was over St. Louis early this year. Still, the Broncos have had a relatively easy time of it since and have dominated some decent teams. But this is at Duke, and the Blue Devils are rolling.

Western Michigan (8-4) at No. 23/25 NC State (9-2), 12:00 PM, ESPNU

Wake up, buddy.

What to watch: The foul line. If there’s been an area to quibble with NC State offensively this year, it’s the free-throw shooting. The Wolfpack is one of the most efficient teams in the league offensively, and would probably hold the league’s top mark in that category if it could shoot free throws. NC State has hit the 70% mark from the line just three times this season and is shooting 64% on the year, good for 282nd nationally according to Ken Pomeroy. But their free-throw rate is top-50 nationally, and the offense is predicated on being aggressive and getting to the line. If State stops leaving points at the foul line, its offense – which is already scary good – will become even more so.

Random Western Michigan facts: WMU used to be known as the Hilltoppers, but that led to some understandable confusion with fellow Hilltopper schools. (Also, WMU expanded beyond the hills and their tops.) They adopted the Bronco in the late 1980s, and he looks….well….sleepy.

And if you needed to know anything about parking on WMU’s campus (and ridiculously short shorts), check out this 1982 video! (Side note: I think Buster Bronco finds this video HILARIOUS. No reason.)

Prediction: NC State, 87-63. Even if the Wolfpack shows up sluggish after the holiday break, Western Michigan isn’t the type of team that can take advantage of its weaknesses.

Delaware State (5-7) at Maryland (10-1), 12:30 PM, ESPN3

Too-Fly, indeed.

What to watch: Maryland’s turnovers. The Terrapins don’t force a lot of turnovers, and they don’t have to because their defense is good enough. But they can’t afford to keep turning it over, either. Maryland’s defense has the lowest loss of ball percentage in the league (12.7%), but their 0.746 PPP allowed is one of the best marks. Still, Maryland’s loss of ball on offense (18.82%) is only better than Wake Forest and Florida State so far this year. Maryland has shown a tendency to get sloppy at times this year. If they want to be an upper-echelon ACC team (and they’re more than capable of being just that), they won’t be able to get away with turning it over on nearly a fifth of their offensive possessions.

Random Delaware State facts: Delaware State has tweaked its mascot in recent years, and the current hornet iteration is known as “Too-Fly”. And he had a high standard of flyness to live up to:

Prediction: Maryland, 87-65. The Hornets did knock off in-state rival Delaware recently (side note: things have gone downhill from the Blue Hens since beating UVa). But half of their wins are against non-Division I opponents.

Florida State (7-4) vs. Tulsa (7-5), 2:00 PM, FSN (Sunrise, FL)

Tulsa’s old mascot, the Golden Hurricane, next to the new one: Captain Cane, a superhero that can “summon weather”. Sheesh.

What to watch: Has Michael Snaer flipped the switch? The senior guard sat out FSU’s win against Louisiana-Monroe due to “disciplinary reasons”, and whatever his head coach Leonard Hamilton did or said seems to have worked. He’s always been an elite defender, and it’s been obvious that he has struggled to take on his newfound role as an assertive scorer. But he has to do that for Florida State to win, and he did against Charlotte last week. He had 30 points on 8-of-19 shooting, his best shooting percentage since late November. In his last two games he has played in – Charlotte and Maine – he has taken 37 shots, a third of his season total. In FSU’s losses, he has shot nearly five fewer times on average than in FSU’s wins. And he’s going to have to keep it up as his young teammates come along.

Random Tulsa facts: The Golden Hurricane mascot used to be an actual hurricane. Now, it’s “Captain Cane”, who carries a a “hurricane-summoning sword” and wears “energy-sourcing thunder boots”. Well, okay then. The change was made when current UNC AD Bubba Cunningham was the AD at Tulsa.

Prediction: Florida State, 76-68. Without the loss to Mercer, maybe FSU wouldn’t seem like its struggling so much. The Seminoles would have then only lost to Minnesota and Florida since their season-opening loss to South Alabama. Sadly, Mercer ddi happen, and so did some struggles against Maine and Louisiana Monroe. Still, Tulsa hasn’t beaten anyone as good as FSU this year.

Holy Cross (7-5) at Boston College (6-5), 2:00 PM, ESPN3

NONE SHALL PASS!

What to watch: BC’s freshmen. Joe Rahon and Olivier Hanlan have combined to play nearly a third of BC’s available minutes this year (and attempt nearly a third of their shots), but neither have shot particularly well, especially lately. Obviously, both have to play but Hanlan is shooting just 16-of-51in the last four games and Rahon is shooting 7-of-31 in the last three. Both are going to continue to play a lot – and take a lot of shots – but at some point it would help the Eagles if they start, you know, making a few more.

Random Holy Cross facts: Why is Holy Cross known as the Crusaders? If you know anything about history, it’s fairly obvious. Let’s just watch some knight videos.

Now stand aside, worthy adversary. …. Runnin’ away, eh?

Also….NI! BRING HOLY CROSS PLAYERS A SHRUBBERY!

And then there’s this.

BC had just better make sure they choose, and choose wisely.

Prediction: Boston College, 61-55. When Boston College beat Providence last week, it was the highest-ranked Ken Pomeroy team (62nd) the Eagles had beaten since knocking off then-No. 24 FSU on February 8, 2012 (of course, BC won only nine games last season). So, progress?

No. 20/17 UNLV (11-1) at North Carolina (9-3), 2:00 PM, ESPN2

Candygram. (See below.)

What to watch: Carolina’s bigs versus UNLV. The Runnin’ Rebs will be shorthanded as forward Mike Moser should miss the game with a dislocated elbow (he’s listed as questionable), and he had 16 points and 18 rebounds in UNLV’s upset win over UNC last season. Freshman forward Anthony Bennett leads the nation’s rookies in scoring, averaging 19.5 points per game and 8.5 rebounds. They have plenty of other capable big men, including versatile Khem Birch, a Pitt transfer who can shoot three’s, and senior Quintrell Thomas. UNC’s rotating group of centers: Joel James, Desmond Hubert and Brice Johnson – haven’t been all that consistent or effective, and James Michael McAdoo has struggled against some big-time opponents. The Tar Heels will have their hands full with one of the best players in the nation in Bennett, not to mention his teammates.

Reggie Bullock. There weren’t many positives Carolina could take from its loss to Texas, but Carolina’s junior leader stepping up and attempting a season-high 17 shots should be one of them. He wasn’t great – he hit just six of those attempts – but he got to the line six times (also a season-high) and for the first time, he showed he’s willing to be the guy who steps up in big moments for Carolina. Just because he steps up doesn’t mean he’ll come through, or that Carolina will win. But someone has to be willing to do it consistently.

Random UNLV facts: UNLV adopted the Rebel nickname because they were “rebelling” against the flagship, Nevada-Reno. They adopted a shark mascot in honor of former head coach Jerry “The Shark” Tarkanian, but that has since gone away. But at least it gives us a chance to link these awesome videos!

The landshark eats someone.

Which also allows us to link this, one of the best SNL skits ever.

Prediction: UNLV, 77-72. The Tar Heels really need this win, but I haven’t seen anything from them so far to lead me to believe they’ll get it.

Virginia Tech (9-3) at BYU (9-4), 2:00 PM, ESPNU

“Cougar” not mean what it used to mean.

What to watch: Tempo. The Hokies want to go up-tempo, but can they really hang with a team like BYU? The Cougars are not a great team this year, but they’re good enough and still one of the fastest teams in the country. Virginia Tech has shown flashes of being good in transition, but the Hokies are dangerously thin and that sort of tempo might wear them down.

Anyone other than Erick Green. Seriously. Anyone. Here’s a stat comparison for you from the last three games:

A: 33-63 FG (52.4%), 4-15 3-pt (26.7%), 15-20 FT (75.0%), 85 points (28.3 ppg)

B: 36-114 FG (31.6%), 12-49 3-pt (24.5%), 22-38 FT (57.9%), 106 points (35.3 ppg)

“A” is Green. “B” is the rest of his teammates combined. Yeah. Cadarian Rains had a good game against Bradley, but was a combined 1-of-3 in the other two games sandwiching it. Robert Brown has made just four of his last 30 field-goal attempts and has ten points in the last four games. Jarrell Eddie has been up and down, but at least he’s hit double figures in three straight games. Freshman forward Marshall Wood broke his foot and while he wasn’t a huge contributor (5.8 points), he was averaging 18 minutes. The Hokies weren’t deep to begin with: Christian Beyer, a seldom-used reserve until recently, has seen 52 minutes in the last two games (he still has not made a field goal this year).

Random BYU facts: BYU is not going to change its Cougar mascot anytime soon, but it’s already being rejected as a high school mascot because of its offensive connotations. For those of you who don’t know what a cougar refers to, it’s…forget it, I’ll refer you to Urban Dictionary.

Prediction: BYU, 89-68. Just difficult to see the Hokies being able to win this one with as badly as their supporting cast has looked recently.

Fordham (3-9) at Georgia Tech (8-2), 7:00 PM, ESPN3

What to watch: Some semblance of an offense for Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech is one of the beat teams in the country defensively this year (statistically), but the offense is still coming around. As the From the Rumble Seat blog points out, Georgia Tech is starting to shoot better. But the Yellow Jackets being without Jason Morris (plantar fasciatis) and incorporating some new pieces hasn’t made it any easier, either. Georgia Tech doesn’t have a great win, but it doesn’t have a bad loss. Win these last two non-conference games, make some noise in the ACC and the Yellow Jackets could be looking at an NCAA Tournament bid. If they can get to even a decent level offensively, they could be tough to beat.

Random Fordham facts: The ram nickname came from an 1893 football game, when the students chanted “One dam, two dams, three dams, FORDHAM!” The Jesuit staff didn’t care for that kind of foul language, so they changed “dam” to “ram”. They’ve had live rams over the years, and in the late 1950′s, one of said rams lived in a “1,200-cubic-foot brick hut” built by Grace Kelly’s father. That same ram liked to enjoy “a lager or two” after games in his elaborate Ram Mansion.

Prediction: Georgia Tech, 84-55. Fordham is awful, but especially defensively. Georgia Tech should put up some points.

DECEMBER 30

Wofford (6-6) at Virginia (9-3), 1:00 PM, RSN

Still adorable.

What to watch: UVa’s big men. Virginia made just 38% of its two-pointers in the loss to Old Dominion, a season-low. A big reason for that is how much their starting frontcourt, Akil Mitchell and Darion Atkins, struggled. Both have been much-improved this year, but Mitchell shot just 3-of-10 and had eight points (just his second time this season in single digits) and Atkins was 2-of-6 for four points, his fewest since November 12. Both of them combined shot worse from inside the arc than their teammates combined. Wofford is not a defensive juggernaut by any means, but the reason UVa had started to play so well this season was the improvement of Mitchell and Atkins. The Cavaliers will struggle to beat even decent teams like Wofford – and particularly in ACC play – if that doesn’t continue.

Random Wofford facts: We’ve covered the origin of the Terrier here before, and yes, it’s one of the cutest mascots around. So instead of that, here are Wofford students teaching rats to play basketball!

Prediction: UVa, 61-49. In an under-the-radar result, Wofford beat Xavier last Saturday. Virginia hasn’t looked very good as of late. But every time we want to count the Cavaliers out, they win a game they have to win, and this one qualifies.

Last week: 10-4
Overall: 106-28

On Wednesday, the Boston College men’s basketball team pulled off a close 50-49 victory against the Auburn Tigers at Conte Forum. The Eagles were led by their freshman backcourt of Olivier Hanlan and Joe Rahon, while scoring leader Ryan Anderson struggled to overcome a lingering foot injury. Hanlan ended with a game-high 19 points, while Rahon was equally as pivotal to the outcome with 15 points. While the home squad led by as much as eight in the second half, the contest proved to be a battle of wills until the final buzzer.

“At the team meeting yesterday, we talked the things that winning teams do,” Rahon said. “We talked about making tough plays, and giving it for all 40 minutes. Then we all went home last night and watched Butler give it to North Carolina. They played hard. They did all the little things. They battled on the boards. They were able to beat a team that’s more talented than they are. We started texting each other, texting around, saying, ‘That’s how we have to play.’ So we came out here with a bulldog mentality, and hopefully we’re going to keep that for the rest of the year.”

The first half saw Hanlan and Rahon act as the main catalysts behind the BC scoring effort. The squad’s typical scorers—Anderson, Dennis Clifford and Lonnie Jackson—went a combined 0-for-10 from the field, while their freshman teammates combined to go 7-for-13 from the floor and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. The Eagles struggled to penetrate the lane in the early portion of the game, and were forced to play mostly around the perimeter.

Head coach Steve Donahue was impressed with the pair’s leadership today, and believes that they will continue to contribute to making the offense more effective.

“Our guards had great confidence,” he said. “They have really good basketball IQ. The thing I asked them to do today was manage the game. I think they have the ability to do that for us, and it’s going to keep getting better. We still don’t have an identity sometimes on the offensive end. The ball gets moved around and we wonder why that guy takes a shot. I think everybody occasionally does that. Where’s the flow? Where are our roles? That comes with times and chemistry. These two guys, I just think, are all around basketball players that are going to be terrific in this league.”

Hanlan contributed early, hitting two straight 3-pointers to start the Eagles’ scoring. Rahon added a few outside shots himself, while the rest of the starters were unable to get anything going from the field. Despite a lack of size for Auburn, Clifford only attempted one shot in the half, and looked to pass before shooting on most possessions. Anderson, despite going 0-for-5 and 1-for-4 from the free throw line at the half, finished with six of his seven rebounds.

“I think Ryan had a lot to do with us winning,” Donahue said. “It could’ve been easy for him not to play. Obviously, he was nowhere near 100 percent, but he competed, and got seven rebounds. We just don’t have the depth to do that and win this game. I know it looks in the box score like he didn’t do much, he’s just not healthy. Obviously foul shots and not shooting well from the field, but seven rebounds in limited minutes is huge in a game like this.”

The half saw 12 lead changes, but it appeared that the Eagles would finish on top after Rahon drilled a three from the corner to give his team the 22-19 advantage and then followed with a midrange jumper to extend the lead. With one second left, however, the Tigers’ Frankie Sullivan sank a 3-pointer to give his team the 26-25 halftime lead. The Eagles finished the half shooting 32 percent from the floor, but were 41.7 percent from three-point range. Auburn shot 46 percent, however it was 2-of-7 on 3-pointers.

In the second half, Hanlan continued to control the game with a strong shooting stroke. There were large lulls in the scoring from both sides. With 15 minutes left in the half, Clifford backed his defender in the paint and spun around for the hook shot and put his team up 35-28. The Eagles would not score again for five minutes. The Tigers were stagnant during this period as well, helping BC maintain its lead.

With the minutes winding down, Auburn finally began to mount the comeback. Sullivan proved to be a formidable scoring option against the Eagles. He finished the game with 23 points, including 15 in the second frame. The Tigers got the score to within three, but then Anderson hit two free throws and Hanlan hit a jumper to extend the score to seven. A 3-pointer by Noel Johnson and two successful free throws for Rob Chubb lessened the deficit to two for the visiting squad.

After some more back and forth from both sides, Sullivan went for the three-point shot with his team down by four. Rahon came up too aggressively on his man, and knocked Sullivan down. The shot was good, and Sullivan made the foul shot to tie it up.

“I was mad at myself about that,” Rahon said. “The kid hit a great shot. I just wanted to go down, and either make a play for a teammate or make a play for myself or do something for redemption.”

On the next play, Hanlan drove to the lane and was fouled on the drive. He made the first free throw but missed the second, giving his team the one-point lead. Sullivan let the clock wind down before taking a desperation three, but the shot was no good.

“I thought it was a physical game for sure, and I thought we played hard with the little things that for us are important like outrebounding a team like that,” Donahue said. “I think that’s a typical, physical ACC team that we face. We outrebounded them, and turn it over 12 times. I thought we really competed with them physically. We just weren’t making shots, although I think we had a lot of open ones. For the most part, I thought we really competed.”

The Eagles entered the game with a three-game losing streak in the Charleston Classic, and were attempting to head into the Thanksgiving break with a win. For Donahue and his team, this win was much needed after such a challenging stretch.

“Obviously, it’s tough to go anywhere and lose three straight, but I think we’ve made great progress,” Donahue said. “We’re going to have failure. This isn’t going to be easy, but what I like is that these guys were really determined to try to get a win. Anytime you get a win it’s huge but I just don’t want to get caught up in the results. It’s still not there yet.”

First up in our team previews is Boston College. The 2011-2012 season marked the second year of head coach Steve Donahue’s tenure at Boston College. The team struggled through the season, ending with a final record of 9-22 and 4-12 in conference play. After a somewhat pathetic year by the team, there is optimism heading into the season. First up, we will take a look at what the team lost in the offseason.

Departures

One of the positives going forward for this team is the noticeable lack of departures from last season. There were four seniors on last year’s team (Salah Abdo, John Cahill, Peter Rehnquist, and Deirunas Visockas). However, none of these players contributed significant minutes, lacking the ability to score when called upon. The team also lost Gabe Moton, Ryan Kilcullen, and Matt Humphrey to transfers. Moton and Kilcullen played few minutes as well, but Humphrey managed to see the most court time out of any Eagle last year. He averaged 30MPG, 10 PPG, and 3.5 RBG in his starting role at shooting guard. One can argue that Humphrey will be a major loss for this team, but I tend to think not. After looking deeper into his stats sheet, there are a few numbers that are glaring. Humphrey averaged an assist to turnover ratio of less than 1, with a FG % of .350. He was an inefficient shooter, coupled with a lack of court awareness. Now that he has transferred out of the program, expect to see more ball movement, along with smarter shots.

Additions

Boston College lost quite a few bodies from last year and unfortunately, they don’t have too much help on the way. The first addition to the team this offseason was a graduate student from Harvard named Andrew Van Nest. He saw little action with the Crimson last year, but will provide some veteran leadership for the young Eagles squad. Through recruiting, BC adds two, three-star backcourt players. Olivier Hanlan is a point guard from New Hampshire, who also saw interest from Dayton, Notre Dame, and Virginia Tech. He is a physically tough player who can get his teammates involved in the game. He probably won’t see much time his freshman year, unless he really impresses coach Donahue with his aggressiveness. The other incoming recruit is Joe Rahon, who is a shooting guard from San Diego. He received scholarship offers from Oregon, USC, San Diego State, and Washington State among others. He has all the signs of an under the radar recruit, given the amount of attention he received on the west coast. He sustained a serious knee injury a little over a year ago, which could give him some issues through the preseason, but all signs point to him being fine for the season. His strengths are 3-point shooting and court vision, which will someday get him plenty of playing time as long as he stays healthy.

Overview

Taking everything into consideration, I really like this team. They have the ability to really create something special at Boston College. However, I think they are a year away from competing for an ACC title and two years away from really making a splash nationally. Five of their top six scorers last year were freshmen, and they have promising players at each position. Anderson, Heckmann, and Clifford should continue to develop and will be a nice looking frontcourt this year. The backcourt is thinner, but there is still talent there. With the departure of Humphrey, I expect the team to play a more well rounded game of basketball. Team chemistry should increase and the young players should thrive under coach Donahue. Ideally, more seasoning for this team should result in a higher assist to turnover ratio. If the Eagles can hold on to the ball at a better rate this year along with increasing their subpar three point percentage, they should surprise some teams.

Schedule

It is always a positive sign when a team starts the season off with a win. Boston College has a very good chance at a win this year, as they play Florida International at home. This will be a nice tune-up game before they head to the Charleston Classic to play nationally ranked Baylor and one of either Colorado or Dayton. After this early tournament, BC has major games at home against Auburn, Providence, and Harvard, and a road test against Penn State. After a somewhat weak non-conference schedule, the Eagles head into conference play. They start off conference play with a lighter schedule, but end the season on a very difficult stretch with two games against Duke.

Prediction

Boston College will continue to grow as a team and develop quicker than teams expect, but they are going up against a very talented group of teams in the ACC this year. There will be some ups and downs, but I believe head coach Donahue has this team trending up. My official predictions heading into the season is that Boston College will take advantage of their light non conference schedule and go 17-14 this year. They will improve on their 4-12 mark from last year and go 7-11 in conference. I expect them to pull one or two upsets this year, but they are still a little too young to pull any Top 25 shockers.

If you enjoyed this team preview, then let us know and be paying attention for our next write up on the Clemson Tigers.

All information in this article was retrieved from ESPN.com (statistics and recruiting), Rivals.com (recruiting), bcinterruption.com, and bceagles.com (schedule). Above picture from logoinspirations.com.

Coincidentally, “Behind These Hazel Eyes” was actually the single to come immediately after “Since U Been Gone” in Kelly Clarkson’s career. Have no fear, it is merely a coincidence. I have no desire to take you through Clarkson’s career step by step. At least not yet. This song is however, one of her most powerful works, playing off of a failed relationship to great success — something she does almost as well as basketball players that leave Boston College and invariably find far greener pastures elsewhere.

Do I relate to this song because I too, have hazel eyes? Maybe a little bit. Do I also relate because after four rounds of Brady Heslip draining dagger threes, “I don’t cry on the outside…anymore…anymore”? Well yeah, a little of that too.

Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

What this post is really about is the sadness that comes from watching former Eagles do what the current Eagles — admittedly, totally reasonably — not do. They had success playing the game of basketball on college’s biggest stage. Evan Ravenel got some good run this year as Jared Sullinger’s backup. He even got a good 14-minute spell in the Final Four against Kansas, throwing his body around with Thomas Robinson and Jeff Whithey. And then there was Brady Heslip. Oh, Brady Heslip. He first kids that TBuck and I scoured over recruiting film. It finally came to a head when he took the nation by storm, dropping 27 points on Colorado with 9-for-12 shooting from deep. Everything, it just felt so right. Except for the fact that his jersey was blindingly green/yellow — I doubt that you could really call the jersey a color — and right in front it said BAYLOR in big letters.

Recent transfers have not been kind to BC basketball. Going back to Marquez Haynes ending his senior season as the fourth-leading scorer in the country, it hasn’t exactly been pretty. Sure Daye Kaba didn’t amount to much, but the Eagles couldn’t possibly lose them all right?

I’m a major second guesser when it comes to players leaving the Heights. It keeps me looking into them well after it should matter. For instance, Dallas Elmore’s strange appearance on the Colorado Cougars this year. I’ve read box scores for Papa Samba Ndao at St. Joes, and he never ever arrived on campus. Rakim Sanders never amounted to the world-beater that Fairfield expected, doing things that were, well, very Rakim-ish. Still, I watched multiple games of him and the Stags over the course of the year. For some other Eagles, it didn’t take nearly that much work.

“For hating you, I blame myself / Seeing you it kills me now”

I really can’t hate Heslip or Ravenel for leaving BC. They both wound up at far superior programs. I do hate the fact that two guys who could should have been wearing Maroon and Gold last season ended up playing in the Elite Eight, Ravenel in the Final Four. (I won’t even mention the fact that Travis Taylor of Sweet Sixteen-bound Xavier committed to BC as a transfer for a time before some, ahem, issues sent him away) The fact is, that between the two of them they played nine games in the big dance. That right there is what kills me.

Photo Credit: Terry Gilliam/AP

“Seems like just yesterday / You were a part of me”

Both of these players were supposed to be on campus this year, Ravenel as a senior and Heslip as a sophomore. Both would have been major contributors to this team. The issues of the transfer could have been related to Steve Donahue — and some angry postings on the Boston Herald comment section would have you believe so — or it could not have been. (Sidebar: Is 2012 recruit Joe Rahon really that much different a player than Heslip that it just wasn’t gonna work? I can’t see it) It was hardly that long ago that the sweet shooting of Heslip, wearing the #4 made famous on the Heights by another straight gunner, and the athleticism of Ravenel seemed to me like a recipe for something that could really work.

“I’m torn into pieces / Can’t deny it, can’t pretend / Just thought you were the one”

I really did think Heslip was going to be a special player at BC. He had a pure jump shot and just the right amount of swagger, which is for me to say, means a lot of it. When Donahue came in I thought it would be his big break. Then poof. Gone. To see him turn up at Baylor was confusing — though no more so than Ravenel at Ohio State — but I never thought he would come back to make me pine for what it would have been like with him in the fold.

You really won’t get to see these tears I cry. I mean, it’s mostly because they are successful Division I athletes and I’m a sad blogger comparing my angst about their transfers to a seven-year-old Kelly Clarkson song, but at that, I shall digress.

By Danny Hazan
National Hoops Report

Typically 6-foot-10 forward Mitch McGary and the SYF Players out of Indiana make mince meat out of their pool play opponents in various tournaments over the summer.

But Tuesday in its first game of NY2LA Sports’ Summer Jam in Mequon, Wisconsin, SYF found itself locked up with widely regarded top prospect 6-foot-6 guard Shabazz Muhammad and club circuit powerhouse Dream Vision from Las Vegas.

With the bleachers packed at Homestead High School, one side full of family and fans while the other was overflowing with head or assistant coaches from basically every major and mid-major Division I program, Muhammad led Dream Vision to a 68-57 victory.

McGary, who soared in national rankings after a breakout Spring, admitted he isn’t used to losing first time out in tournaments.

“This has been pretty different because usually we’re in a pool where we’re the best team,” McGary said. “But here it’s there team or our team. Shabazz and I are pretty cool. It’s always a pretty good matchup between me and him but we play different positions. Sometimes I’ll guard him, but I depend on (Glenn Robinson III) stopping him. But if he gets by, I’ll help out.”

McGary (20 points) blocked Muhammad’s first two poster attempts during the first half, in which he also scored 12 points including a bucket from each level on the court.  However, after SYF’s Adonis Filer helped spark a comeback to trim Dream Vision’s 35-24 halftime lead to four points, Muhammad’s teammates began to extend the lead.

Joe Rahon, a 6-1 sharpshooter from Torrey Pines High School, buried a pair of three pointers before Muhammad finally gave the fans the poster they were waiting for with 7 minutes, 40 seconds remaining and Dream Vision an insurmountable 54-40 lead.

Despite a slow start, Muhammad finished with 27 points and assured dunking on McGary was nothing personal.

“It was really fun,” Muhammad said. “I really like Mitch. He’s a good guy and I talk to him all the time. But I try to dunk on somebody every chance I get. It’s going to be a foul or the ref won’t call it. But after a certain point you will get the dunk. So I try stay aggressive and when I have that mindset I can have a good game.”

Like Muhammad, McGary also plays hard every possession and doesn’t let one play affect his game.

“He kind of caught me turned around when I jumped, but he had already finished,” McGary said. “I’m always hustling back on D so I’m usually not too worried about getting dunked on. I just try to block shots and prevent them from scoring.”

With Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, North Carolina, Texas, Texas A & M, Oklahoma, Marquette, Maryland, Boston College, Kansas State, Georgia Tech and Arizona among several others represented Dream Vision 7-footer Robert Upshaw (San Joaquin Memorial) was a solid presence inside and displayed an ability to finish with either hand around the cup.  Findlay Prep standout Winston Shepard had a hard time getting in a rhythm offensively but was disruptive defensively and active on the glass.

SYF’s only has one player committed to college, as Robinson verballed to Michigan last Fall, and while McGary continues to rake in offers he still hopes to help his teammates pick up more looks as well.

“Overall I like to have fun,” McGary said. “But when it comes down to being strictly business, I know I have to get to work. In AAU, I try to get my teammates involved a lot. I don’t want to be a ball hog and show out because we’re all trying to go out there and go to the best school possible. Even if some college coaches aren’t there to look at them, I let them kind of show out so the other coaches can see them.”

Things won’t get easier for SYF Wednesday as they have matchups with Team Loaded and Kansas Pray and Play Players featuring Perry Ellis.

Dream Vision will lock up with Mo-Kan Elite before playing Texas PRO and Baylor-bound Isaiah Austin. Wednesday’s final day of pool play will allow Muhammad to continue to refine his perimeter skills to go with his highly advanced post game – something he’s been focused on all summer.

“I’ve been really working on my guard play,” Muhammad said. “I’m working on my ball handling, jump shot and just being aggressive with the ball. I’m getting more acquainted with the ball (in my hands) and getting my jump shot off. I’ve been working on a lot of jump shots because I know in college I’m going to be a two-guard.”

Texas PRO dispatched Mo-Kan Elite 66-54 behind 12 points apiece from Austin and Danuel House.  Team Loaded edged the Pray and Play Players 75-69 in a back and forth battle.  Besides Ellis who had Kansas, Kansas State, Duke and North Carolina among others watching intently, Buddy Hield played had a big game with 17 first half points and 28 unofficially.

The D.C. Assault led by 2013 combo guard Nate Britt and 2012 6-9 smooth small forward Jordan Goodman almost got stunned by the Wisconsin Swing, but 2013 Arlington Country Day Junior Etou’s steal and pass ahead to Jamal Lewis for a layup with two seconds left in overtime ensured a 70-68 victory.

The Swing will be a dangerous team for anyone in the field to face moving forward as they have four bonafide mid to high major prospects with 6-2 guard Zak Showalter (Germantwon) and 6-6 Austin Arians (Madison Edgewood) in 2012 and 6-7 Nick Fuller (Sun Prairie) and 6-9 Luke Fischer (Germantown) in 2013, mixed in with a bunch of other low DI/high DII who play together and don’t make too many mistakes.

The Summer Jam will conclude Friday.