Takeaways: BC downs Fairfield in season-opener
Recap:
Boston College opened their season with a dominating 89-70 victory over the Fairfield University Stags. Star center Quinten Post led the way, scoring a career-high 31 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and swatting 4 blocks. Jaeden Zackery contributed 10 points and 4 assists, converting on some fantastic finishes in the process. The quartet of MJ Harris, Devin McGlockton, Mason Madsen, and Donald Hand Jr. each added 9 points. Aside from a shaky end to the first half, the Eagles dominated both sides of the ball, limiting Fairfield to just 38% shooting from the field, while shooting over 49% themselves.
Read the full recap here.
Post’s Dominance:
The star of this game was unequivocally Quinten Post. As any Eagles’ basketball fan would tell you, this basketball team goes as Quinten Post goes. And tonight, he took his game to new statistical heights. Post dominated the paint with his finishes on the block, he dominated perimeter with his 5-6 performance from three-point territory, and he dominated on the defensive end with his 4 blocks. Post led the Eagles to a rapid 31-15 lead in the first 10 minutes of this matchup. The Eagles thrived with Post on the court, yet struggled at times with him off the court. With Post on the bench to end the first half, the Stags were able to cut the Eagle lead to just 12 points going into the locker room. However, upon returning to the game in the second half, Post continued his dominance, helping the Eagles stretch their lead to as much as 26 points.
Three Point Success:
Following the sheer dominance of Post, the next biggest takeaway from the Eagle’s season opener was their volume and efficiency from behind the arc. Led by Posts’ five three-point field goals, BC converted on 11 of 27 attempts from three-point land. In addition to Post's success, Madsen and Hand both connected on three shots from deep. This performance from behind the arc is something Eagles fans have not seen from Earl Grant’s past two teams, as they had traditionally achieved success on limited three-point attempts and stifling defense. While 41% on 27 attempts per game is likely not sustainable over the course of an entire season, it certainly suggests promising development in Grant’s offense.
Superior Bench Depth:
This iteration of the Eagles’ basketball team has far more depth than fans are used to seeing. Grant played eleven players in the first ten minutes of the game. He started the game as expected, with Zackery, Harris Jr., Prince Aligbe, McGlockton, and Post. Madsen, Chas Kelly, and Armani Mighty came off the bench together about four minutes into the contest. And Fred Payne, Elijah Strong, and Hand also saw the court in the opening minutes of the game. Following Fairfield’s run going into halftime, Grant tightened his rotation, only playing seven players in the first ten minutes of the second half. Once the Eagles regained a comfortable lead, Grant was able to test his bench once again, finishing the game with Fred Payne, Chas Kelley, Donald Hand Jr., Elijah Strong, and Armani Mighty.
Stifling Interior Defense:
The only way Fairfield was going to have a chance in this game was to make an incredible amount of contested jump shots. And, in the first half, Fairfield’s Brycen Goodine and Michael Rogan were able to keep them within striking distance with some impressive shot-making, scoring 15 and 10 points, respectively. However, with Fairfield missing some big men, BC’s superior size proved to be far too much for the Stags to handle. Behind six total blocks from Post and McGlockton, the Boston College front court dominated the interior. The frontcourt held the Stags to 7-20 on layups and a mere 20 points in the paint. Front court depth will continue to be a concern for this team, but tonight’s performances were definitely cause for hope.
Looking Ahead:
The Boston College Eagles return to action this Friday night in Charleston, where they will take on the Bulldogs of the Citadel. The Citadel just last night lost 72-59 against NC State, and according to ESPN analytics, has a 49% chance to take down BC. While the Bulldogs will likely pose a greater challenge than the injury-ridden stags of Fairfield, BC will look to capitalize on the momentum gained in tonight’s victory. The Eagles return home to Conte Forum on Wednesday November 15th, where they will take on the Richmond Spiders.