Basketball
Preview: Eagles return to Conte to take on Temple
Tonight, the 1-1 Boston College Eagles return to Conte Forum, where they will host the undefeated Temple Owls. The Eagles are coming off of a blowout loss to VCU, losing by a score of 80-55. Coach Grant’s squad is clearly still searching for an identity, as his team’s first two games of the season have yielded underwhelming results.
The Eagles’ roster turnover has been discussed ad nauseum this offseason, but it is abundantly clear that this new group is still not familiar with each other. Through two games, the Eagles have dished out just 14 assists as a team, and turned the ball over an astonishing 31 times. If Boston College is going to compete with other power conference teams, they will need to figure out some sort of identity of offense, and take much better care of the basketball.
The Temple Owls come into tonight’s game with a perfect 3-0 record, with wins over Sacred Heart, Monmouth, and Big-5 rival Drexel. While none of these teams would be considered world-beaters, the Owls will be coming into Conte ranked 120th in KenPom’s rankings, 23 spots ahead of Boston College. With the spread favoring the hometown Eagles with just 1.5 points, fans should expect a close game in Conte.
The Owls are led by star guard Jamal Mashburn Jr., who is averaging 23.7 points per game on an ultra-efficient 53.7% shooting from the field. Veteran forward Steve Settle III could give the undersized Eagles fits on the glass, as the 6’10 big man is averaging 12.7 points and 9.0 rebounds through the Owls’ first three games.
Through two games, the Eagles have been led by Donald Hand Jr., who has averaged 19.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, though on just 30.8% shooting from the field. Forward Chad Venning is the only other Eagle with a scoring averaged in double-figure, scoring 11.5 points per game. However, the senior big man will have to get more active on the boards, as he is averaging just 3.0 rebounds through the Eagles’ first two games.
Lastly, the Eagles will certainly need some more production from star-transfer Dion Brown. Coming into the season, many thought Brown was a likely candidate to be the Eagles’ leading scorer. But, in part due to injury, the transfer guard has averaged just 6.5 points on 33% shooting from the field. If the Eagles want to pull out a win over the Owls, Brown will need to play his best game yet in a BC uniform.
The Boston College Eagles have not faced the Temple Owls since March 21, 2003, when the two teams met in the NIT Tournament. In fact, the Eagles have never beaten Temple on the court, as the Owls hold a 4-0 record all time against the Eagles. So, follow along with Eagles Daily for all updates, and see if the Eagles can finally take down Temple!
Basketball
Boston College lands one of nation’s top rebounders in Brandon Benjamin, along with former Charleston forward Colby Duggan
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.
Basketball
Former Merrimack sharpshooter Ernest Shelton commits to Boston College
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.
Basketball
Boston College lands Zak Smrekar, Money Williams, and JB Frankel, first three transfer commitments of Luke Murray era
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.
-
Basketball5 months agoUPDATED: Boston College Basketball 2026 Transfer Portal Live Tracker
-
Basketball5 months agoBoston College lands one of nation’s top rebounders in Brandon Benjamin, along with former Charleston forward Colby Duggan
-
Basketball5 months agoBoston College lands Zak Smrekar, Money Williams, and JB Frankel, first three transfer commitments of Luke Murray era
-
Basketball5 months agoFormer Merrimack sharpshooter Ernest Shelton commits to Boston College
-
Football2 months agoHUTCHINSON: Bill O’Brien says a rebuilt Boston College and starting quarterback Mason McKenzie are ready for Year 3
-
Uncategorized5 months agoDiMAURO: The best of BC still getting told through sports
-
Baseball3 months agoDiMAURO: Birdball’s great season a beacon and a reminder for all other BC programs
-
Football6 days agoHUTCHINSON: 2026 Boston College Football Season Preview: Roster Breakdown, Floor, Ceiling and Prediction
