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Eagles regain control at Conte, beating Hampton with grit, 63-52

A focused defensive effort and assertive rim attacks set the tone in BC’s third home win.

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(Photo: BC Athletics)

CHESTNUT HILL, MASS — Boston College needed a clean, confident home response after the stunning loss to Central Connecticut a week ago. On Tuesday night at Conte Forum, they delivered exactly that. The Eagles controlled the pace, leaned into their physical identity, and never allowed Hampton to dictate the game, earning a 63–52 victory that steadied the season and showcased the depth Earl Grant believes this roster can grow into.

The opening minutes offered a glimpse of the Eagles’ renewed intent. BC attacked the basket early, scoring its first several points off drives and rim pressure before a three-pointer from Fred Payne gave them a 9–6 lead at the first timeout. From there, Boston College’s defense began to take hold. Rotations were sharper, communication tighter, and the stops turned into rhythm on the other end.

The turning point of the first half came midway through the period when BC ripped off a series of disciplined defensive possessions, each ending with contested looks or empty trips for Hampton. Marko Radunovic buried a three to stretch the lead to 21–9, and moments later Luka Toews found center Boden Kapke with a crafty dump-off for an easy basket.

The Eagles led 37–26 at halftime, punctuated by a deep three from freshman Jason Asemota at the buzzer. At that point the story was not BC’s shooting, which still lagged under 35 percent, but the collective intensity and unselfishness that made every possession feel connected. This was the ball movement and intention that had been missing in the disappointment against CCSU.

The second half began with a burst. Payne hit a three, Aidan Shaw delivered a soaring alley-oop from half court, and then Jayden Hastings hammered home another dunk. In the span of a few minutes the lead had ballooned to 39–28, then 56–36 with seven minutes remaining. The emphasis was clear: attack the paint, collapse the defense, play through contact, and defend with force.

The final minutes were less polished. Hampton trimmed the margin with late threes and BC’s offense stalled, a reminder of Grant’s point about needing to “finish better.” But the game was never in doubt. The Eagles’ identity — defense first, and aggression at the rim — controlled the night.

Afterward, Grant was reflective and direct, as he always is. “Winning is fun. Not easy to do,” he said. “We will take the win and watch the film tomorrow, learn from it, get ready for the road trip.” He praised the defense, noting that holding Hampton to 52 points is “something we’ve done pretty much most games this year.”

On Payne’s continued emergence, Grant emphasized maturity over scoring: “He is taking more ownership. He is a second-year player who wants to win, and his energy is contagious.” Payne led the Eagles again, scoring 14 points for his third straight game in double figures.

Grant acknowledged the late-game wobble, too. “We got out by 22 points. Then we lost some poise and some composure,” he said. “That is where we have to grow… but it is nice to grow in that area while you win.”

The growth will come from depth as well. Nine players logged double-digit minutes, and the bench produced a crucial 31 points. Grant said he is still determining “who our best nine are,” noting, “We have some youth on the floor at times. You will see some ebbs and flows… but while they develop they still have to play good basketball.”

Tuesday’s performance reflected exactly that balance: flashes of potential, a few jagged edges, and a clear foundation emerging beneath it all. The defense was focused, the rim pressure returned, and the rotations were sharper. BC did not shoot well from three, but they did not need to — they controlled tempo and outworked their opponent. In a sport that punishes teams searching for identity, that alone is a meaningful victory.

The Eagles now turn their focus to hosting Davidson on Friday with a sense of steadiness restored. They are not a finished product, but nights like this show glimpses of what the finished version could look like.


Mac Hutchinson, a columnist in Boston, is the Director of Digital Media for Eagles Daily, co-host of Eagles Weekly Podcast, and the founder of @BCFootballFans. He may be reached at mac@thinklyn.com

Basketball

Boston College lands one of nation’s top rebounders in Brandon Benjamin, along with former Charleston forward Colby Duggan

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Boston College received two more transfer commitments this weekend in Brandon Benjamin and Colby Duggan. Benjamin and Duggan join Money Williams, Ernest Shelton and JB Frankel as the fourth and fifth transfers to commit to Luke Murray and BC this offseason. The Eagles now have seven players on their roster, including international signing Zak Smrekar and Jack Bailey, the only BC player from last year not to enter the portal.

Benjamin, a 6-foot-8 forward from Newark, N.J., played his only collegiate season last year at Fairfield University. The rising sophomore was named to the 2025-26 MAAC All-Rookie Team and All-MAAC Second Team after averaging 14.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while shooting 56.5% from the field. Benjamin ranked first in the MAAC and eighth in the country in rebounds per game and second in the country in offensive rebounds per game (4.25).

“What made me pick BC first was the coaching staff,” Benjamin told ZAGSBLOG on Sunday. “It really felt like family. I will bring my high motor, plus rebounding, finishing around the rim and taking guys off the dribble. [I also bring] my catch-and-shooting, pick-and-pop, my winning impact and my versatility with guarding 1-5 with the ability to block shots.”

Duggan, a 6-foot-7 forward from Monson, Mass., averaged 9.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 19 games for Charleston last season after missing the first part of the year with an injury. He spent the previous two seasons at Campbell University and averaged 15.7 points and 3.3 rebounds on 34% shooting from 3-point range during the 2024-25 season.

“He competes on both ends of the court at all times,” former Charleston head coach and current USF head coach Chris Mack said. “He’s a warrior. He’s a winner. Defensively, Colby doesn’t back down. He guards well in the post and on the perimeter. Offensively, he led the conference in scoring and is just scratching the surface of what he can be as a mismatch.”

Benjamin should slot into the starting lineup as the power forward or a small-ball big thanks to his impressive rebounding ability, while Duggan comes to BC as a depth piece off the bench.

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Former Merrimack sharpshooter Ernest Shelton commits to Boston College

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Guard Ernest Shelton announced his commitment to Boston College early Thursday night. The former Merrimack Warrior became the fourth transfer to commit to head coach Luke Murray and the Eagles, joining Zak Smrekar, Money Williams and JB Frankel. Shelton was named to the 2025-26 All-MAAC first team while helping lead the Warriors to a MAAC regular-season championship.

Shelton played two seasons at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, on the opposite side of the state from his hometown of Philadelphia, before transferring to Merrimack last offseason. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 15.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 34.6% from behind the 3-point line.

“[Shelton]’s a shooter,” Merrimack head coach Joe Gallo said. “Every time it comes out of his hand, you think it’s going in.”

Shelton knocked down 99 3-pointers for Merrimack last season and was among the top 40 in the country in 3-pointers made per game (2.9). He set a career high last season with nine 3-pointers in a game against Boston University and made five or more 3-pointers in six games.

The sharpshooter is a breath of fresh air for a Boston College program that finished last in the ACC in 3-point percentage last season.


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Boston College lands Zak Smrekar, Money Williams, and JB Frankel, first three transfer commitments of Luke Murray era

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Boston College received its first three transfer commitments of the 2026 transfer portal cycle on Thursday in Zak Smrekar, Money Williams, and JB Frankel. Smrekar, Williams, and Frankel are the first three players to commit to BC since Luke Murray was named head coach on March 26 and join Jack Bailey as the only three players currently on the Eagles’ roster.

Smrekar is a 19-year-old, 6-foot-7 guard from Slovenia and was the first to commit to Murray. He played for the club Krka Novo Mesto in the Slovenian ABA for three seasons and averaged 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 15 games in the 2025-26 season. Smrekar also played for Slovenia in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup and averaged 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in seven games.

Williams is a 20-year-old, 6-foot-4 guard who played the last three seasons for Montana. The Oakland, California, native was named to the 2025-26 All-Big Sky First Team after averaging 20.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on 49.8% shooting from the field. Williams scored a career-high 40 points against Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Tournament, along with tallying six other 30-point games last season.

“I can’t come up with enough words to praise Money Williams properly,” Montana head coach Travis DeCuire said in October 2025. “When you talk about the young man that he is off the court, the young man he is when you bring him in the office, and you have real conversations with him and look him in the eye and talk about things that are hard to talk about.”

Frankel is a 21-year-old, 6-foot-3 guard who is not moving far, as he played the last three years at Northeastern. He started 13 of 30 games for the Huskies last season and averaged 5.9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. The New York City native scored a season-high 13 points in a road win against Harvard.

Coach Murray will have to continue to build up the Eagles roster, but with three guards being picked up, look for the Eagles to hone in on finding their starting forwards and big men.

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