(Foreword: I’m going to try to do one of these for each team. I hope I can pull it off!)
Last Season: 28-8 overall, 11-5 (3rd place) in the ACC. BC lost to Duke in the ACC Tournament championship and was knocked off by Villanova in OT in the third round of the ACC Tournament after narrowly escaping Pacific in the first round.
Overall, the Eagles were a steady team led by forwards Craig Smith and Jared Dudley. They were not the most athletic team in the league, but with Sean Williams, Sean Marshall and Tyrese Rice, they could put a very athletic team on the floor when they needed to.
Gone: Craig Smith (1st team All-ACC) and Louis Hinnant, the starting point guard.
New: Three freshmen (Daye Kaba, Tyler Roche, Shamari Spears) and a transfer from Loyola-Chicago (Tyrell Blair). None of the freshmen were ranked in Scout.com’s top 100.
Forecast: While BC lost two experienced starters including Smith, one of the program’s greatest players, they should still have a good team. This year’s version will be much more athletic and emotional with Tyrese Rice taking over the starting point guard spot and (probably) Sean Williams taking Smith’s position. Rice was a better and more dynamic player than Hinnant last year, but the Eagles needed Hinnant’s stability and game management. How BC does this year will depend a lot on how well Rice can handle those duties. It’s a lot different being the starting PG than being the spark off the bench.
Fortunately for Rice and coach Al Skinner, Jared Dudley is one of the best and most versatile players in the ACC. Dudley isn’t terribly athletic, but he plays hard and can do a little of everything. His job will be to use his intensity in a positive way to keep his emotional teammates, especially the volcanic Sean Marshall, focused on the game. Coach Skinner should help here, as he maintains a very calm demeanor during games, but then he gives me the feeling that he’s bottling up a lot of fury in those clenched jaws. I wouldn’t be surprised if this team induces at least one in-game explosion from the head coach.
I’d expect the Eagles to do just about the same as last year. They won’t win the ACC, but they’ll be right near the top.
Other reviews:
Duke Basketball Report
Collegehoops.net