Game Recap:

Last Tuesday, for the first time in nearly six years, the Boston College Men’s basketball team was able to take down the Syracuse Orange. The Eagles beat the Orange by a score of 80-75, thanks in large part to a 21-0 run spanning the two halves, and 14 second-half points from Claudell Harris Jr. After the Eagles jumped out to a 7-2 lead, they subsequently let up an 18-4 run, as it looked as if the Orange were poised to pull away. However, thanks to some timely three-point shooting, the Eagles went into the half with a 37-30. 

The Eagles carried this momentum into the second half, scoring the first seven points of the half and going up 44-30. However, the Orange would not go away quietly. After converting on ten consecutive field goal attempts, Syracuse cut the BC lead to just two, and looked poised to retake the lead. Unfortunately for the Orange faithful, Harris Jr. had other ideas. The transfer guard scored all 14 of his second half points in a 3:37 span. Suddenly, the Eagles were back up double digits, and were able to secure their fourth ACC victory in the process. 

Weathering the Storm:

My first takeaway from this game was how well the Eagles were able to weather the storm in the first half. Once Syracuse went up 20-11, and BC was struggling to get anything going on offense, many viewers (including myself) might have expected the Eagles to let another winnable game slip away. But, thanks to the longest offensive run in the Earl Grant Era (21-0!), BC completely flipped the script and retook control. 

In addition to their furious scoring run, I was also thoroughly impressed by how BC responded to Syracuse’s comeback efforts. With the Orange chipping away, and a newly energized majority-Orange crowd in Conte, the Eagles found themselves in a dangerous spot. However, the Eagles never allowed the Orange to regain the lead, and were able to close the game out. 

Standings Check:

While the Eagles will take any conference victory they can get, this victory against Syracuse was particularly important in terms of the ACC Standings. Had they dropped this game to the Orange, they would have dropped to 3-7 in the ACC, tying them for 12th in the conference. Instead, at 4-6, they are tied with Pitt for 11th. While this may not seem like a huge difference, this victory over Syracuse keeps them in contention for a first round bye in the ACC tournament. 

As it currently stands, there are six teams with five or six losses. So, with ten ACC games to play, the middle of the ACC standings is completely up for grabs. Given the Eagles’ remaining schedule, there is a great chance they could be competing for a 7th-9th place finish. If the Eagles can find themselves right in the middle of the ACC, they should be in great position for an NIT bid, which is looking like the ceiling of the team right now. 

Resurgence of Claudell Harris Jr. :

Prior to Tuesday’s game, Claudell Harris Jr. had been riding the coldest stretch of his career. Over his last four games, the junior guard shot just 10-37 from the field, and 5-22 from three. After a couple of tough shooting performances, Coach Grant made the decision to move Harris Jr. to the bench in favor of Chas Kelley III. When asked about the move, Grant said he hoped the change of pace would settle Harris Jr. down. 

Well, after two straight wins, Grant seems to have made the correct call. In their second win against Notre Dame, Harris Jr. had a crucial 9 points on 3-7 shooting. And last Tuesday against Syracuse, he led all scorers with 19 points on 7-11 shooting (off the bench!). And I’d be remiss not to reiterate Harris Jr.’s game-sealing 14-point stretch. The Eagles were in real danger of letting Syracuse come all the way back, but Harris Jr. shut the door on the Orange, and saved the day for the Eagles. 

Turnover Struggles:

The Eagles’ first game against the Orange might have been the most frustrating Boston College basketball game I’ve ever watched. BC turned the ball over a shocking 22 times, Jaeden Zackery and Quinten Post were both held scoreless, and the Eagles still led late in the game Yet, Grant’s squad was unable to close it out. This time around, while the end result was different, BC was still plagued by the same problems. Syracuse’s length continued to bother the Eagles, who committed 21 turnovers. For reference, the Eagles have only been averaging about 10 turnovers per game throughout the season, good enough for 51st in the country.  

And, for the second consecutive game, the Orange did a fantastic job of limiting Quinten Post. While he was not scoreless, the big Eagles’ leading scorer only scored 9 points on 3-5 shooting. Post’s more glaring issue was his seven turnovers. Post has proven that he can be a great passer out of the post, as well as a solid ball handler. But something about the length and quickness of Syracuse’ frontcourt just gives the big man fits. 

If the Eagles want to have a chance against a much-improved Florida State team, they will have to figure out how to better handle length and quickness, as FSU boasts both at each position. 

What’s Next:

After consecutive wins against Notre Dame and Syracuse, the Eagles will return to action next Tuesday, when they will take on Florida State in a 7 PM matchup. The Seminoles have been somewhat of a surprise team in the ACC, as they currently sit at fourth in the ACC standings, after finishing just 12th last season. FSU could pose a particularly tough matchup for the Eagles, as they play a similar style to Syracuse, but at a considerably higher level. 

With a win, the Eagles would improve to 5-6 in the ACC and leapfrog Clemson for 10th in the standings. Should they fall to the Seminoles, the Eagles would fall to 4-7 in the ACC, and risk falling below Pitt to 12th in the standings. A win would put BC one step closer to a coveted first-round bye in the ACC tournament. With the Eagles staring down an away matchup to 7th-ranked Duke following the next game, a win against FSU would go such a long way for the Eagles.