After three games in Bubbleville at Mohegan Sun, the uncertainty surrounding the Boston College men’s basketball team is starting to lessen.
Fans are starting to get some clarity about this team following losses to Villanova and St. John’s, with a victory over Rhode Island in between.
The Eagles are improved and more entertaining. However, there are obvious flaws that look like season-long problems.
They have a load of decent guards in Wynston Tabbs, Jay Heath, Makai Ashton-Langford, DeMarr Langford, and Rich Kelly. They’ve been aggressive in their approach, forcing the action on offense and hunting for turnovers on defense.
Tabbs, who missed the last season and a half with a knee injury, has shown he can fulfill the potential of his freshman year two seasons ago … in spots. It’s logical that it would take him some time to get back to full capability, so patience is called for.
Heath is a steady influence who will be a solid player for his career. In three games, he hasn’t shown he’s advanced to a higher level.
Ashton-Langford seems fearless and capable of some athletic plays that many others can’t make. His younger brother is physically mature and obviously has potential.
Kelly, a graduate transfer from Quinnipiac, adds experience, but I don’t like how the ball sticks with him at times. More passing and cutting and less dribbling would be good for him because coach Jim Christian is giving him a lot of time.
The loss to St. John’s seemed to portend what the season could be like. This group hasn’t played together enough, and for a while St. John’s overwhelmed them with a furious pace, taking a 20-point lead in the second half. Then talent and grit took hold and the Eagles rallied, but they ran out of time.
There are going to be nights when the perimeter group looks great, and others when they fail to mesh.
The big problem is up front. Steffon Mitchell is an outstanding defensive player and a hustler. However, he stands alone. It’s going to be tough to contend with taller teams in league play.
In Bubbleville, the Eagles were outrebounded in two of the games and basically broke even with Rhode Island. Forward C.J. Felder tends to drift to the arc; he’s not a banger or a player that’s going to defend strongly in the paint.
The conclusion: I’m not sure the depth on the perimeter is enough to translate into enough victories in the ACC. Maybe by the second half of the season the Eagles will establish a style of play with their glut of guards that forces opponents to react to them rather than the opposite and that will pay off.
▪ Lowell’s wild adventures: UMass Lowell has been dealing with the effects of the pandemic a lot, starting with a 14-day quarantine in November. Then a game vs. Florida, scheduled at Mohegan Sun, was canceled when the Gators had a positive test. Bubbleville organizers told UMass Lowell coach Pat Duquette to still come to Connecticut; they’d find a new opponent.
“First they said Towson,” said Duquette. “Then, a half-hour before we hopped on the bus to go down there, they said, ‘We’ve got to change your opponent.’ We waited to hear and they said San Francisco.”
The River Hawks were tested for COVID-19 as soon as they arrived at Mohegan Sun, then went to their rooms to wait for the results, which were good.
“It’s the safest way to play games,” said Duquette. “They escorted us to secluded areas to eat and have meetings. We used the freight elevator.”
Then, without any preparation, the River Hawks upset San Francisco, 76-68, last Wednesday. The next day, San Francisco turned around and upset fourth-ranked Virginia, adding to the value of Lowell’s victory.
Next, Lowell was scheduled to play two games in Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend and traveled to the site on a private jet.
“Ohio State paid for the whole thing,” said Duquette. “That’s the only way I would except it.”
In Columbus, Lowell faced another late-added opponent, Illinois State, and lost, 82-72.
On Sunday, in a noon start, the River Hawks played a smart and tenacious game before falling to Ohio State, 74-64. The game was closer than the final score.
Then it was back on the private jet, which landed in Manchester, N.H., at 4:52 p.m. The team was tested for the fifth time in three days when it returned to campus.
Next on the schedule is North Carolina State Thursday at Mohegan Sun, a game that was added Tuesday.
“I think it’s the safest environment to play games,” said Duquette.
The first three games, despite two losses, have made the coach optimistic.
“We’re a better team than we’ve been in the past,” he said. “We have more size, more rim protection, more depth that we ever had.”
▪ On pause: UMass and Northeastern haven’t been practicing right now because of positive tests for COVID-19. UMass hopes to be back on the court this weekend and then open against LaSalle Dec. 9. Northeastern was going to start practice Dec. 18, but the school announced an adjustment Tuesday, and the Huskies will play UMass Lowell Dec. 9.
▪ Do what you gotta do: To play games, that is. California is coming to BC Dec. 22 and is looking for another game. Merrimack is willing, and coach Joe Gallo has offered to play Cal in BC’s practice gym around that time. Nothing final yet.
▪ Hard-luck duo: Bryce Aiken and Seth Towns missed considerable time at Harvard because of injuries, then both transferred. Hard times have continued. Towns was late arriving for Ohio State’s first game after being involved in a minor car crash near campus. No one was hurt, but Towns hasn’t played in the first two games. Aiken sprained his ankle in Seton Hall’s first game at Louisville and will be out for at least a week.
▪ National thoughts: Gonzaga looked awesome in beating Kansas and Auburn on consecutive days in Fort Myers, Fla. Freshman point guard Jalen Suggs was a revelation. He is living up to the hype as the best recruit in Gonzaga history. And he’s not the Zags’ best player. That discussion would be between center Drew Timme and swingman Corey Kispert … The theme on ESPN as Richmond beat Kentucky Sunday was that Kentucky needs big man Olivier Sarr, a grad transfer from Wake Forest, to be a difference maker. If that’s the case, it’s going to be a long season for Coach Cal. Also, Richmond is one tough, veteran unit that looked Sweet 16 good … Virginia Tech coach Mike Young is a wizard; it’s the only way to describe his team’s upset of Villanova. The Hokies don’t match up, personnel-wise … You can already put down Western Kentucky as a possible bracket buster. The Hilltoppers finished second in the pickup games in South Dakota but were impressive in beating Northern Iowa and Memphis before dropping a close one to West Virginia … Saint Francis of Pennsylvania looks like a Northeast Conference contender after beating Pitt for the first time after 29 losses.
Joe Sullivan can be reached at josephsullivan1974@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeSullivan.
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After three games, there is some clarity on Boston College men’s basketball - The Boston Globe
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