Eagles Can’t Pull Out ACC Debut
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Welcome to the ACC.
That was the message from nearly 18,000 screaming fans at the Comcast Center on Sunday night, as Boston College played its first-ever ACC game against Maryland. Right from the outset, the fans were into the game and letting the Eagles know it, although they got quite silent at times as well.
“If you have a good crowd, anything can happen,” said junior forward Jared Dudley. They’re going to keep you in ballgames. It was packed, sold out, it was loud, they made us do things that we’re not accustomed to doing like missing free throws.”
Junior guard Sean Marshall got a good idea of what the atmosphere at these games will be like as well.
“Homecourt advantage in this league seems like a lot, so if we can get the same kind of effort that the fans have here back in Conte, it would help us out tremendously against ACC teams,” said Marshall, who had a good second half and finished with 16 points.
In a game featuring 13 ties and 11 lead changes and where neither team ever led by more than six points, Maryland made just enough plays down the stretch to beat the Eagles by a score of 73-71.
The Eagles tied a season high with 18 turnovers and were just 5-15 from the free throw line. The latter statistic was exacerbated by the fact that Maryland went to the line 29 times (making 19), and the Eagles were whistled for eight more fouls than the Terrapins.
So is the message that Boston College won’t be able to compete with the ACC’s big boys? That’s not the way Maryland head coach Gary Williams, who spent four seasons as the head coach at Boston College over 20 years ago, looks at it.
“They don’t have to be welcomed anywhere, they’ve proven how good they are,” said Williams when asked about welcoming them to their new conference. “They’ve been a great team under Al Skinner. If you’re a great team in the Big East or any major conference, you don’t have to prove yourself in the ACC.”
In fact, Williams was impressed by how they play and knew this wouldn’t be an easy game. His team also had something to prove against ranked teams, having lost to Gonzaga and George Washington, the only ranked teams they’ve played thus far.
“We’ve played okay against the ranked teams, but tonight was important,” Williams said. “We needed this win obviously because it’s a league game, but also to give us the confidence that we can play against this level of a team.”
Ekene Ibekwe (21 points on 8-13 shooting, 9 rebounds) and Chris McCray (16 points, five rebounds, five assists) led the individual efforts. Ibekwe dominated inside in the early going and had his way just about any time he got the ball inside, using good moves and his quickness inside. McCray had not practiced since their last game against George Washington, making his 38-minute effort a little more impressive.
Perhaps more importantly, the Terrapins seemed to get every loose ball, and sooner or later that was likely to make a difference. Their constant pressure on any Eagle who touched the ball helped create the 18 turnovers, but the Eagles stayed right there by making some plays of their own and opportunistically running.
Craig Smith (23 points on 11-15 shooting, 12 rebounds, 3 steals) and Dudley (12 points, 7 rebounds) made their fair share of plays to keep the Eagles in the game throughout, while Marshall (15 points) had a good second half.
“That team is as disciplined as I’ve seen in terms of getting the ball to their two best inside players,” said Williams of Smith and Dudley. “They get it there; we knew what they’re going to do, but it doesn’t matter. It’s the old Vince Lombardi theory: here it comes, try to stop it.”
The final minutes had the game seemingly right in the hands of Maryland, then the door opening and closing on the Eagles. Leading 68-65, the Terrapins forced a turnover and got a basket by Nic Caner-Medley (nine points, seven rebounds) to go up 70-65 with 43 seconds left. Louis Hinnant’s layup made it 70-67 with 27 seconds left, then D.J. Strawberry missed the first of two free throws to give the Eagles a little hope. But Marshall missed the first of two with ten seconds left, and the score was 71-68 in favor of the Terrapins with ten seconds left.
Two free throws by McCray set up the final 2.2 seconds. Just when it looked like they had it in good hands, the Terrapins threw the ball away without a touch, giving the Eagles one last chance. But the inbound pass for sailed over Jared Dudley’s head and Ibekwe ran the ball down to dribble out the final seconds for the win.
Notes
- Boston College head coach Al Skinner has talked about this team playing well in spurts most of the season. They have done it in every game, and the last two games are evidence that they won’t be able to get away with the entire season. Sunday night’s game was one where neither team ever made a serious run.
- Sophomore forward Akida McLain played in his first game after being suspended retroactive to a May incident that led to his arrest in his hometown of Penn Hills, Pa. He played 12 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing four rebounds.
- The Eagles are off for final exams this week, returning to the court to take on Texas Southern on Sunday afternoon at Conte Forum.
