Without getting into too much detail—because what happened in St. Louis might as well just stay there so we can all move on and look towards what appears to be a bright future—the Eagles jumped to a quick 1-0 at the 19 second mark on the strength of a Hayes goal. It appeared that everything was just going to come easily for the Eagles, and then everything fell apart.

To spare you all the gory details (trust me on this one, I was there with the pep band and I don’t want to relive any of those moments), I’ll cut to the chase. The unheralded Tigers jumped out to a 7-2 lead after two frames. I’m sorry, as you all know by now, that’s not a typo. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they had a bad day when the stakes were high; they didn’t seem able to connect on their passes, their D was struggling to keep the puck in the offensive zone (which resulted in some devastating odd man rushes), and, overall, they just looked sloppy.

The game ended with the Eagles losing 8-4 and with Parker Milner in net. The saddest thing about this game, to this writer and avid hockey fan, was that Muse wasn’t able to finish what would have been his final game as an Eagle. It was the bitter end to an otherwise spectacular career that saw this talented goaltender backstop two championship teams.

Moving on, I think it would be far more appropriate for me to talk about this team’s accomplishments rather than their failings. In truth, they had a bad game; it’s as simple as that. It was a blemish on a season to remember. And it in no way takes away from the legacies of the three seniors who are graduating this year. Because of that, I would like to spend a moment remembering each of their careers.

Muse thrived under the pressure of big games. With a 20-2 record in post season games and an 8-0 record (coupled with 1.95 goals-against average and .930 save percentage) during BC’s two championship runs, he has been the backbone of the team and an inspiration to all the players throughout his four years here. A four-year starter who even started every game as a freshman during the 2007/2008 season, Muse has been a vital member of the team since the very beginning. Known for his knack for making the big saves, and the “Muse” cheer that always accompanied them, he will go down in history as one of the best. His leadership and talent will be missed next year, and it may prove difficult to fill his skates, but Milner, after apprenticing under this fine goaltender, will most likely be up for the challenge.

Whitney, the team’s captain, has, like Muse, had an impact since the beginning of his career. Also a four-year starter, he has played on the top line and helped to lead the team through good times and bad. With a knack for scoring during important games, he has left his mark on the record book as well as in the memory of Superfans everywhere. In fact, he led the entire NCAA tournament in scoring last year with 10 points (three goals and seven assists). A gritty player willing to do the little things, his impact has been felt by all members of the team. The Whitney mantle will be carried for the next year by younger brother, Steve, who seems to share with Joe an ability to score when it counts, as well as a capability to make highlight reel plays, as seen during the Hockey East semifinal game against Northeastern.

The sometimes-overlooked Gibbons, an assistant captain, deserves a great deal of credit for the team’s success as well. Also a four-year starter, he is the playmaker, wheeling off what look like impossible passes through traffic. A speedy player and a great leader Gibbons ranked second on the team last year with 50 points and first in assists with 34. He has played with some of the best: including current Sabers forward Nathan Gerbe, Bruins prospect and former captain Brock Bradford, Whitney and Atkinson. Being trusted to play with these top players points to Gibbon’s extraordinary hockey sense, on-ice vision, and unselfish nature; his playmaking ability will be greatly missed in the years to come.

Atkinson, a junior and the team’s sniper, has decided to forgo his senior year at Boston College to turn pro. A sniper and Hobey Baker finalist, he scored 68 goals (and had 124 points overall) in his three years with the Eagles, including 31 goals this season, which, at the end of the Hockey East final against Merrimack, caused cheers of “Hobey Baker” to rain down from the student section. Atkinson’s career in hockey is far from over: he has been assigned to play for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. Although fans here on the Heights will miss his scoring prowess and his spectacular vision, The Observer wishes him well in his new endeavors.

Even though the season ended earlier than everyone expected and even though the team won’t be making another run this year, Superfans everywhere should celebrate the accomplishments of the 2010/2011 team, a team that had its trials and tribulations and rose to the top of the standings and won many times when it mattered. The Observer would like to thank the team for a great season, as well as to thank the seniors for all the memories.

Analyzing recruiting for the upcoming class is exciting because the future of the team looks bright. I predict an ACC title in 2012. The team is young, especially at the skill positions. If Chase Rettig can continue to develop, if Andre Williams can continue to trample defenders and if the white wide-outs can continue to rack up yards, Kevin Rogers should have a lot to work with. The defense also looks promising. Kuechly and KPL lead the defense looking towards next season. Those two LBs will be the core of one of the nation’s best linebacking units.

The incoming class has addressed a few needs and added strength to already deeply talented positions. BC has lacked a dominant pass rusher since Mathias Kiwanuka. Alex Albright was an above average rusher but he was often sidelined with injuries. Max Holloway showed sparks last year as a sophomore and could break out in 2011. However, Spaziani and McGovern were able to bring in a few blue chip recruits at DE, bolstering the pass rush. The coaches tapped into their NJ pipeline and persuaded Connor Wujciak to come to the Heights. Wujciak is a 4 star DE from Seton Hall Prep in NJ. Wujciak is 6’ 3”, 250 lbs and will likely be asked to put on weight. He picked the Eagles over Notre Dame, Pittsburg, Rutgers and Michigan State. They also brought in Medhi Abdesmad a 3 star Canadian d-end who enrolled in January. Early enrollment has been beneficial to many players in the past, most recently KPL and Rettig. Recruiting analyst Mike Farrell said that Abdesmad is an intriguing prospect. He is huge, 6’ 6”, but very raw. Farrell said he has Kiwanuka upside but could take a few years to develop. They also brought in Kieran Borchich and Brian Mihalik. BC could ask a few of these players to step up and supply the much needed pressure next fall.

Spaziani was also able to lure in a few highly sought after local prospects. Albert Louis-Jean was one prospect the coaches desperately wanted. ALJ initially signed a letter of intent to play for Randy Shannon at Miami but switched his LOI once Shannon was given the boot at the U. ALJ was a jack-of-all trades at Brockton High in Mass., but the 4 star Mass player of the year is expected to play d-back at BC. Spaz also brought in Brian Miller who is the highest rated offensive player in the state of Massachusetts. The Andover high product should provide depth behind Chris Pantale at the TE position.

Massachusetts is not a hot bed for recruiting which makes it especially important to lock up the few top notch recruits. The infamous Coach Jagodzinski said that he found it vital to “lock up a fence” around New England, and Spaz has done a decent job at that.

The coaching staff utilized another important pipeline, that of St. Xavier High School in Cincinatti. St. X’s gave us Albright and Kuechly, and is giving us Steven Daniels. Daniels is another 4 star LB who will play alongside high school teammate Kuechly. The Eagles brought in Daniels’ H.S. teammate, Sean Duggan. St. X players have always been productive at BC, so if the past is any indicator, these two linebackers will be solid contributors either immediately or down the road.

College coaches have realized the importance of stock piling the QB position as there have been too many cases of “stud QB” recruits who have been total busts. They brought in Christian Suntrup from Chamindae in St. Louis to challenge Rettig. Suntrup is the 17th ranked pro-style QB and has good size. Farrell said that he could see Suntrup being a solid ACC QB. He toyed around with the idea of going to other BCS schools to get immediate playing time, but he stayed true to his commitment and will be here in the fall. The coaches got him a few targets in the class, notable Curt Evans from Hollywood, Florida. I’ll take any wide-out from the Sunshine state who had offers from Michigan, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Evans is added to the list of young, promising wide-outs on the Eagle offense.

This class started out a bit slow but steadily gained momentum throughout the winter. It closed out strong and is a solid overall class. It isn’t exceptional but figures to have a few players who will make their mark and help the Eagles get over the 8 or 9 win plateau that has plagued the Eagles.

After glancing at the newly released 2011 schedule, the Eagles should get out to a 5-0 start and be ranked in the top 25 in early October, heading into league play. I’m quite glad I’ll be studying abroad in the spring, as the fall could be a special one in Chestnut Hill.

While Donahue’s résumé was solid, it seemed as though some of the players were less than impressed. Junior forward, team leader and defensive standout Rakim Sanders bolted for Fairfield upon the firing of Skinner. Sanders was shortly followed out the door by sophomore big man Evan Ravenel to Ohio State, highly-touted freshman Brady Heslip to Baylor, as well as heralded recruits Kevin Noreen (West Virginia) and Papa Samba Ndao (St. Joseph’s), who would’ve undoubtedly been a fan favorite based on his name alone.

With just eight players left on the active roster, many Eagle diehards could be found aggressively Googling current linemen and wide receivers to see if any of them had dabbled at power forward in high school. Others could be seen working on their twelve-footers on the Plex courts, hoping that the Eagles would have no choice but to call an open tryout. And yet, while times seemed desperate, Donahue found great talent in the unlikeliest of places.

Between lightly-recruited freshman guard Gabe Moton, walk-on-turned-starter Danny Rubin, graduated baseball reliever Chris Kowalski, and women’s practice squad stud John Cahill, Donahue hasn’t just found diamonds in the rough. He has discovered an entire mine.

The maroon and gold have navigated a very tough out-of-conference schedule, with quality wins over Texas A&M and Cal. While the Eagles have had their ups and downs in conference play, they are in a good position to make the Big Dance. Donahue has replaced Coach Skinner’s stagnant, painfully boring flex offense, and has implemented the same high-flying, three-point offense that brought great success at Cornell.

Junior Reggie Jackson has emerged as one of the most electrifying guards in the college game. Joe Trapani has been the model of consistency in his last year as an Eagle. Unlikely heroes such as Biko Paris and Corey Raji have found their touch from beyond the arc and have played a key role in BC’s success.

As the Eagles prepare to play the four enormous games left in the regular season, Donahue has proven that BC has the ability to play with anyone. And while they also have the potential to lose to any team on a given night (Yale, Harvard), the players have bought into the system. The enthusiasm on the bench following a key play is something that has been absent on Eagles teams for years.

The moment Rakim Sanders transferred last spring, Eagles fans all but dismissed this season as a rebuilding year. Donahue has changed all of that. If there’s anyone that can make a Cinderella run in this year’s NCAA tournament, it’s this Eagles team. Give Donahue a couple of years to recruit some sharpshooters, and the future of BC basketball looks bright.

I, and everyone else with a football pulse at BC, sighed when I found out that the Eagles were playing on Raycom Sports at noon. Besides the fact that the video quality that Mike Hogwood and crew brings its audience is equivalent to a VCR Camcorder circa 1998, BC always seems to get trounced in these games. I had violent flashbacks of the maroon and gold getting slaughtered by Clemson and Virginia Tech last season. When the unfortunate news that Chase Rettig would be unavailable on Saturday became official, I think a large groan was heard throughout Chestnut Hill.

The Wolfpack possess the conference’s most potent offense and they came out throwing under their stud field general. The always innovative Dana Bible dialed up a plethora of quick-release passes that carved the red and white through the Eagle defense. Wilson displayed accuracy and good zip on his ball. He also showed the ability to keep plays alive with his legs if one of his receivers was not open.

The Eagles bent but did not break in the opening drive. They forced NCSU to settle for three and the drive ended on a relatively positive note for the Eagles. That momentum did not carry over to the offensive side of the ball though. The Eagles line continued to struggle, and Dave Shinskie made everyone watching wish that Chase Rettig had a more durable ankle. Shinskie’s major flaw on Saturday was his accuracy. There were several instances where receivers beat their man but Uncle Dave was unable to hit the receivers in stride. Errant throws gave the Wolfpack d-backs time to recover and make a play on the ball. This was most obvious when he missed Jonathan Coleman and Ifeanyi Momah on slants in the end zone towards the end of the first half.

The Eagle defense played tough throughout the first half but eventually wore down as they were on the field for far too long. The blocked punt which resulted in a NCSU TD was rather demoralizing as well. The dreaded “double-thud” widened the deficit to ten points.

Bill McGovern’s players did not go down without a fight though. Luke Kuechly turned in a heroic 20-tackle effort. Mark Herzlich and Donnie Fletcher added interceptions and Alex Albright played as well as he has over his five years at the Heights. Herzlich broke his hand the previous Tuesday in practice and was wearing a huge Goliath-type club on his left hand. He was still able to corral the ball into his lap which turned into three Eagle points before the end of the half. The club made Herzy a target for cut blocks, as he struggled to shed the man diving at his knees, as that move requires two strong, quick hands. He still played well considering the absurd amount of injuries the young man has endured.

It was clear that the offense would be unable to consistently move the ball on Saturday from the get-go. Things looked drearier when the Wolfpack took a 17-3 lead with 12:31 left in the second quarter. NC State TE George Bryan was able to beat freshman LB Kevin Pierre-Louis down the seam of the field and haul in a 36-yard strike from Wilson. He was able to hit a wide-open Owen Spencer running a deep post. Spencer was able to pull off the miracle, he made Kuechly look human. NCSU was able to tack on another score before the half.

Frank Spaziani was unable to provide his team any magic potion at the half and things worsened in the second half. After an opening pick six by the Pack, Spaz decided to switch things up at QB. While the majority of the half was depressing there were a few nice things to take away from it. Freshman WR Alex Amidon showed an impressive ability to separate from defenders. Amidon hauled in a 30-yarder from Shinskie in the first half, and he burned down the Carter- Finley sideline in the fourth quarter to bring in a 67-yard bomb from Marscovetra. Freshman HB Andre Williams also looked like he was born to carry a football. The rookie ran with tremendous force, as he kept his pad level low and bounced off NC State tacklers. It will be interesting to see if Williams gets more carries as the season progresses.

Rivals.com lists Frank Spaziani as number five on the hot seat for head coaches on the D1 level right now. It’ll be interesting to see if he can get things together this week as his team heads down to Tallahassee and takes on 16^th ranked Florida State. The Seminoles just delivered a beating to Miami. BC opens the week as a 21.5 point underdog. Let’s hope the Eagles will be able to prove Vegas silly. One has to wonder who will take the snaps for BC? Bordner time? Who knows.

Of  course, with any sport every end goal has stepping-stones to victory. Our first two games were cakewalks, and everyone knew it. Our first challenge would be Virginia Tech and Tyrod Taylor.

As our offense stepped onto the field to start the game, I felt good watching Montel Harris picking up some easy yards, but when the ball was in Dave Shinskie’s hands I was skeptical. He had not yet proven himself to be this team’s leader in more than 15 games as the starter, but today was going to be different. It was a new day and a fresh start for Uncle Dave; however, it was the same old story.

We struggled all game in getting into an offensive rhythm and the two drives that got us into the red zone ended in a crucial interception and a play stopped painfully short of the goal line. Our entire offense was in shambles, and Shinskie was not helping matters.

I know that many people look down on Shinksie for his poor performance, but there comes a point in the season where the question becomes, “why is he still starting and why are none of the coaches helping him?” For me, the blame now sits squarely on the shoulders of Gary Tranquill, the offensive coordinator. If Dave is going to be the starting quarterback then you need to call plays that are to his advantage.

Such as: in a first or second down situation, run a play with an outlet receiver or running back for Shinskie to check down. Watching him play in one game can tell you he does not have the “clock” in his head that says “hey, time’s up, get rid of the ball.”

Another good idea for Coach Tranquill would be to recognize the mismatches on the field. What I mean here is that when Momah and Coleman, wide receivers who are both well over six feet tall, are being covered by players who do not reach their shoulders when on their tip-toes, they should be running fade routes for a jump-ball; Little changes like these can be game breakers.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I still think Mike Marscovetra should be getting the nod to start every week, but I cannot make that decision. And like I said before, Shinskie does not help himself out by throwing an interception from the Tech seven yard line, fumbling on a soft hit, scrambling with no time on the clock to the one yard line, and throwing a second pick later in the game.

If we go back to my two suggestions, we can turn those bad plays into touchdowns. From the seven yard line with Momah and Coleman on the field, a fade route is practically a guarantee. Instead of Shinskie running for four yards when he needed five, have Harris pop out on a flare and let him dance into the end zone. And for the second interception…there’s no help for Dave. He threw the ball way too soft for the play.

Saturday’s game was not a pretty sight to see, especially for parents who travelled to the Heights and paid for tickets, expecting to enjoy the game. The only promising point from the game was that our defense held the high-powered Virginia Tech offense to a mere 19 points, giving up only one touchdown. Although we gave up 343 yards of offense, it was spread out over 11 drives. Luke Kuechly was a force to be reckoned with, earning team MVP honors for the game, and Herzlich is looking better than ever, flying across the field and intercepting the ball.

Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech upsets me because it was a very winnable game that we lost, but that’s not what upsets me the most. It’s not our offense. It’s not our defense. It’s not even our coaching staff. It is the “SuperFans” that do not deserve their title. These Fair Weather Fans are the hundreds of yellow-shirted students that left the game at halftime, the end of the third quarter, and any time before that clock hit triple zeroes. My respect goes out to those of us who stuck through it all; through the interceptions, the sacks, and the overall poor offensive play. It sickens me to see our stadium go from a packed student section, loud with cheers, to a silent scattering of gold, only a shadow of the glory it should be.

With Notre Dame coming to Chestnut Hill for this edition of the Holy War, I can only hope. I hope that the coaches start Marscovetra. I hope that the plays are called to our strengths and not our weaknesses. I hope that our defense never quits, even if they play every second of the game. But most of all, I hope that when the clock in Alumni stadium hits zero on Saturday, October 2, I can look around in the stands and see every Super-fan still standing, still cheering, and still proud, no matter what the scoreboard says.

The Observer: Your site, draftcountdown.com, lists the 332 senior prospects. What process do you go through to get this list of rankings?

Scott Wright: During the college football season I take notes on all of the games I watch.  Then when I am preparing to re-launch the site for a new year of coverage I begin with a master list of all the nations senior prospects and cross-check it with my notes to pare it down from about 1,500 players to 325 or so.  Then throughout the year I am constantly tweaking and revising my rankings, adding players, etc. as I watch more games and evaluate the prospects more closely.

The Observer: What qualifications do you have that allow you to make this list and have people put stock in your choices?

Wright: Well. I think my credibility stems from two factors.  The first is longevity and I’ve been doing this for a long time.  Since 1997 actually.  The other factor is the relative accuracy of my rankings and mock drafts.  I have my hits and misses just like anybody else, including the NFL, but I think my long-term record stands up to anybodys.  I also put all of my past rankings and mock drafts on the site so people can look how I’ve done in the past and judge me for themselves.

The Observer: You’re constantly revising the rankings. Do you revise it after each game? What does it take for you to move someone up or down on the list?

Wright: If depends and there is no set schedule.  Normally I will do a mass revision at one time, every couple of weeks or so, but if I see something that needs to be amended immediately I’ll definitely go ahead and do that.  For example, if I watch a game and see a player that I had previously overrated or underrated.

The Observer: Does the team outcome, whether Boston College wins or loses, affect the rankings of Castonzo or Herzlich? Or do you base it solely on their individual play?

Wright: How many games Boston College wins and loses really won’t have much, if any, affect on the stock of their prospects.  However,  if their play, either good or bad, contributes to that record then it’s a different story.

The Observer: Would Boston College winning a bowl game add anything to Herzlich or Castonzo as a draft prospect?

Wright: Simply going to a bowl game could add to their stock as it will give them another opportunity to shine on a high-profile, national stage.  However, just like the team record whether Boston College wins the game or not won’t affect their stock, their play will.

The Observer: You have Anthony Castonzo listed as the 7^th prospect overall. What have you seen from him that puts him so high up as a draft prospect?

Wright: I am a big Anthony Castonzo fan.  He has the ideal size you look for, is a pretty good athlete, he’s extremely smart and technically sound and he also has a ton of experience against top-notch competition.  I don’t see Castonzo as the type of elite, franchise left tackle prospect who is going to be a Top 5 overall pick but he is going to be a very good player in the NFL for a very long time.

The Observer: You have Mark Herzlich listed as the 14^th prospect overall despite him sitting out all of last season due to his battle with Ewings sarcoma. What have you seen from him in the first two games this season that ranks him so high?

Wright: In all honesty I have not had the chance to see Boston College or Herzlich play yet this year so I am still basing that ranking primarily on his play from the 2008 season.  That year he was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and looked like a future Top 10 overall pick in the NFL Draft.  I really struggled with where to place Herzlich in the rankings because there is just so much uncertainty surrounding him right now.  Obviously Herzlich needs to play well on the field and show scouts that he has regained his previous form.  That is one major factor.  The other is his health and I’m not a doctor so I don’t know what the long-term prognosis is for Herzlich.  That is something that will be determined by the teams during the pre-draft process and medical checkups at the Scouting Combine.  Assuming he plays well and is cleared medically I think Herzlich is absolutely a first round talent but I wouldn’t be surprised if he slipped to round two or three due to the health issues.

The Observer: What do you need to see the rest of the season from Castonzo to remain a highly ranked draft prospect?

Wright: I think Castonzo just needs to continue doing what he has his entire career.  If he does that I think he will secure a spot in the first round.  One other thing to keep an eye on is the all-star games.  If Castonzo goes to the Senior Bowl and impresses he could go from a mid-to-late first round pick to an early first round pick.

The Observer: What do you need to see the rest of the season from Herzlich to remain a highly ranked draft prospect?

Wright: Herzlich just needs to show he’s healthy and play like he did a couple of years ago.  There will certainly be some rust early on but by the end of the season you’d like to see him making the impact plays he was known for before getting sick.

The Observer: Do you think NFL teams will have any concern about Herzlich’s health when they consider drafting him? Or will a successful season take away any doubt teams might have?

Wright: That is the $64,000 question.  I really think it may come down to each individual team and how their doctors evaluate the situation.  However, even if Herzlich is completely cleared and doctors don’t think there will be any long-term effects from the illness I could still see some teams being scared away.  It’s just a huge “X” factor right now and something that may not be sorted out until after the Scouting Combine in late-February.

The Observer: You describe Castonzo as a “steady blocker with solid physical tools and top-notch intangibles,” and you list him as the #1 offensive tackle. Can you describe that in more detail? Are there any weaknesses that he could improve on that would move him up in the rankings?

Wright: I detailed Castonzo’s strengths in Question #6.  As for his weaknesses, I think he needs to work on maintaining proper pad level.  He is so tall that he tends to get too upright at times.  Another weakness is power and Castonzo isn’t the type who is going to physically dominate and maul his opponent.  Perhaps the biggest concern is his ability to handle speed off the edge.  Last year Castonzo struggled a bit against North Carolina’s Robert Quinn, who could be a Top 5 overall pick, and those are the types of elite pass rushers he’ll have to deal with regularly as a left tackle in the pros.

The Observer: What would you say Herzlich’s biggest strength? Is there anything Herzlich can do to alleviate some of the doubt teams might have about him?

Wright: Well, he needs to show he is back to his old self.  However, based on the way he played in 2008 I don’t think anyone doubts Herzlich’s talent.  The only question about him, and it’s a big one, is the health.

The Observer: You have Herzlich listed as the #3 outside linebacker behind Von Miller of Texas A&M and Bruce Carter of North Carolina. What do you need to see from Herzlich this season to move him up to the #1 outside linebacker prospect?

Wright: If Herzlich plays like he did in 2008 and is cleared medically he has the ability to top that list by Draft Day.  Those are two major “If’s” though.

The Observer: In your mock draft, you have Castonzo going at #12 to the Chicago Bears. What makes him a good fit for the Bears?

Wright: Well, the Bears desperately need to upgrade the tackle position and the middle of round one is right about where Castonzo is expected to be picked so it’s a good fit in terms of both value and need.  Also, the Bears have a history with Boston College blockers, having used early picks on guys like Marc Colombo and Josh Beekman in the past.

The Observer: In your mock draft, you have Herzlich going at #28 to the Baltimore Ravens. Why do you think the Ravens would take Herzlich?

Wright: Well, that might be a bit optimistic at this point because with all of the unknowns Herzlich could very easily slide out of round one.  However, the Ravens are known as a team that takes advantage of premium talents that fall further than they should and, if healthy, Herzlich is a Top 10 talent.  Also, Herzlich would be an ideal fit at outside linebacker in Baltimore’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

The Observer: Are you an Eagles fan?

Wright: I am not.  I live in Minnesota so I follow the Vikings closer than most teams but I am certainly not a die-hard.  I am more a fan of the entire NFL.

The Observer: Do you think Boston College can win a bowl game this season?

Wright: I don’t see why not!  We really haven’t seen too much from BC yet this year as they started off the season with a couple of, shall we say lesser teams.  The next couple of games against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame should give us a more clear indication of just how good Boston College is this year.

A 10-year-old Ewing’s Sarcoma survivor, the same cancer Herzlich battled last year that kept him from playing in the 2009 season, started things off by singing the National Anthem. After, #94, on 9/4, led his team out of the tunnel and sprinted to the student section where he removed his helmet much to the delight of the student section, packed full with anxious SuperFans, and Sister Barbara Anne from Notre Dame who sent letters to Herzlich while he was sick.

While the day held so much hope, things got off to a bad start. There was a delay of game penalty before the first play, followed by an interception thrown by Shinskie at the 20-yard line. Then Herzlich came into the game, his first game back since the 2008 Music City Bowl. The defense held and Weber managed only to get a field goal for an early 3-0 lead; that would be the only time Weber was up on the Eagles.

BC scored on its next four possessions for a 24-3 lead in the second quarter.

Shinskie found Chris Pantale for a 6-yard touchdown to start the scoring off. Next, Shinskie connected with Ifeanyi Momah for a 17-yard touchdown pass. No surprise that Montel Harris had a 4-yard touchdown run in the first game of the year. After an outstanding 2009 season, I expect even better from him this year. He had 115 yards off 19 carries in the game. Redshirt freshman Nate Freese kicked a 33-yard field goal to cap off the four consecutive scoring drives for BC.

The next score came from backup quarterback Mike Marscovetra. After he led the Eagles 63 yards down the field, he hit Sterlin Phifer for a 22-yard touchdown pass to give BC a 31-10 lead for halftime.

The game lost a little bit of its spark until DeLeon Gause caught a tipped ball and ran it back for a 66-yard touchdown, giving the SuperFans a boost of energy and the Eagles a 38-13 lead.

With only 19 seconds left in the game, the Wildcats scored to make it 38-20.

One player who picked up right where he left off was sophomore linebacker Luke Kuechly. He had a great season opener, as his name was all over the loud speaker, amassing five solo tackles and six assisted. Coach Spaz remains impressed with him, saying, “Luke is a very good player. We only hope that he can just get better and better and he will. You can’t work that hard and have that instinct and not improve week in, week out. He is a special football player.” Herzlich adding, “Luke played awesome.”

This game was about Herzlich’s triumphant return, though, and he finished his comeback game with three solo tackles and two assisted. More important, though, is how he felt, saying, “I felt good. I overran some plays and they threw a couple check downs and I was a little out of position, but that’s to be expected I guess. Not that I’m settling for that because obviously we’re going to get in the film room and work on it but it’s a step in the right direction. We’re going to have to take bigger steps in the right direction as we go on.”

Of how his team played in this season’s first game, Coach Spaz said, “We showed flashes of a couple of things that would lead you to believe that there’s a lot of potential there. There are some things that didn’t just quite look right. Once again we’re young in a lot of areas. The receivers made a couple of nice catches and Montel Harris of course ran well. So there’s a lot of positive things to build on but we certainly have a long way to go in the whole spectrum, offense, defense and kicking. The operation didn’t run very smooth. I attribute that first to myself and then the way the team is structured right now, the depth, the youth and different guys in positions. It’s not quite as smooth as we’d like.”

Overall, Coach Spaz was happy they accomplished what they set out to do, and that was to get the first win. He was glad they were able to put a win together against the “very well coached, athletic Weber team.” Although there were a lot of mistakes and he admits the Eagles have a lot of work ahead of them, he said that it was a good way to start the season and it is something they will build on as they go forward.

Next on the Eagles schedule is Kent State who will travel to Chestnut Hill, after beating Murray State 41-10 in their own home opener.

The article goes on:

Former University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr remembers first meeting Jon Runyan when he was in high school. Carr, then an assistant coach, went to Carman-Ainsworth High School in Flint, Mich. “He was so tall,” Carr remembers, “that when he left class to meet me, he had to duck under the doorway.”

Runyan, a six-foot-seven offensive tackle who went on to the NFL and spent nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles, is running for Congress in New Jersey’s third district, which covers portions of the Philadelphia suburbs and the Jersey Shore. While Barack Obama carried NJ-3 by 5 percentage points in 2008, last November Republican governor Chris Christie defeated Democrat Jon Corzine by a 66–29 margin in Ocean County and a 48–46 margin in Burlington County, the two counties that make up most of the district. The seat is currently held by freshman Democrat John Adler — who won election by 4 points — though it was in GOP hands from 1993 to 2009.

Runyan decided to launch his bid for Congress after being approached by GOP state assemblywoman Dawn Addiego (their daughters are schoolmates), who thought that Runyan’s charity work would make him a compelling candidate. “I liked that, as a star athlete, he was active in giving back to the community,” Addiego says. According to his campaign website, Runyan has been involved with the New Jersey Special Olympics, the USO, the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society, the American Red Cross, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. He also sits on the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of the Delaware Valley.

“I believe Jon Runyan will be a great congressman,” Carr adds. “He is very dependable, honest, and he has the courage of his convictions.”

Some political pundits admire how Runyan has transitioned from the gridiron to the campaign trail, which is no easy feat. “It is hard to go from sports to politics because you have to portray yourself in a serious light, but it appears that Runyan has done a good job,” says Isaac Wood, House-race editor for political analyst Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball website. Other past NFL players who have served in Congress include Rep. Heath Shuler (D., N.C.), elected in 2006, and former Republican congressman Steve Largent, who represented Oklahoma’s first district from 1994 to 2002.

If Runyan wins, a former college teammate of his could end up joining him on Capitol Hill. Jay Riemersma, who played tight end at Michigan and now serves as a regional director for the Family Research Council, is also running for Congress as a Republican, in Michigan’s second district. (Rep. Peter Hoekstra, a Republican, is vacating the MI-2 seat in order to run for governor.) “John Runyan was a great teammate and really tough competitor,” says Riemersma. “He’ll bring that same work ethic and toughness to Congress, and I hope to call him my GOP teammate there in the near future.”

For those who are more interested in football — Heath Shuler, a former NFLer mentioned in the article, was one of the biggest busts in NFL history. Steve Largent is a hall-of-fame wide reciever.

The 2010 hockey trifecta has been completed. They won the Beanpot, they won the Hockey East title, and now they have won the NCAA Championship.

This is the 4th national title for BC (1949, 2001, 2008, 2010), who made Wisconsin look like RIT in a 5-0 victory at Ford Field.

It was a close game until the third period. BC held a 1-0 lead for two periods off a goal by Ben Smith 12:57 into the first period, who was voted the Most Outstanding Player in the Frozen Four Tournament.

Despite not being named most outstanding player, Cam Askinson’s play was deserving of an award. Only 1:38 into the third, Atkinson, the team’s leading scorer, made it 2-0. Two minutes later, Chris Kreider made it 3-0. Four minutes after that, Cam Atkinson scored his second goal of the game (30th of the season making him the NATIONAL leading scorer) making it 4-0. With about five minutes left to play, Wisconsin pulled the goalie, only to see Matt Price score on an empty net for a 5-0 lead. Two of the goals came on power plays, as BC was able to capitalize on Wisconsin’s penalties.

Terrific zone defense was key. Muse had 20 saves for a shutout against Wisconsin. Jerry York said that his players were disciplined, and after blanking Wisconsin, I think anyone who watched the game knows that. In the Frozen Four, the Eagles outscored their two opponents 12-1. BC was by no means an underdog, but everyone kept talking about how small the players are, especially compared to those Wisconsin players who are much bigger. It would seem that size didn’t matter tonight. The Eagles out-skated them in all three periods. They were faster and better than the Badgers. For what was expected to be a close game, the Eagles never let Wisconsin have any chance. Consider the 1-2 loss to the Badgers in the 2006 title game avenged.

The Eagles have 29 NCAA appearances, 22 Frozen Four appearances, and now 4 National Championship titles.

It would seem that Beantown is a perennial hockey power house. 2008 it was the Eagles, 2009 it was the Boston University Terriers, and 2010 it is the Boston College Eagles!

BC finishes the season 29-10-3, while Wisconsin drops to 28-10-5. Three of BC’s four Championship titles have come in the past decade and two in the past three years. The Eagles have established themselves as a dominant hockey force. When I talked to athletic director Gene DeFilippo back in January, I asked him if he thought the Eagles could win the Championship game this year. He answered “Oh yeah, yeah, I really do. I always think we’re going to win every game. It’s about this time of the year that Jerry York’s teams always take off. People are always worried in December and January. “Oh they’re young or they’ve got a few guys hurt” or whatever. I never worry. And I know this, there’s no team in hockey East that’s going to want to face this BC hockey team in March, I’ll just tell you that right now.”

Make that March and April. Not to mention, I don’t think young age is a bad thing. Cam Atkinson is a sophomore, and he is leading the nation in scoring. York and his Eagles proved too good for any other team to come close to ruining their bid at the 2010 NCAA title.

Come celebrate this impressive accomplishment on Monday (4/12). At 5:00 p.m., a parade will begin at Conte Forum and will continue through Lower Campus, past Corcoran Commons, up Commonwealth Ave. and down Linden Lane to O’Neill Plaza for a 5:30 ceremony.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES ON A TERRIFIC SEASON!!!

We are…BC!

BC made the announcement introducing Steve Donahue, from Cornell, as the new head coach a few days ago on Wednesday. There had been rumors that Donahue had contacted other coaches about joining his BC staff.

If Jones is coming here, it will be interesting to see what he does to help Donahue. He was 86-108 overall at Columbia, with a 39-59 record in the Ivy League.

The Observer: BC has dominated Miami of Ohio. Four out of the last five years, they have bounced them from the NCAA tournament. Even though Miami was ranked #1, BC went in and decisively won 7-1. Were you at all surprised?

Gene DeFilippo: I was a little bit surprised at the fact that we won 7-1. Not at all surprised that we won the game. I was surprised by the goal differential. Miami is a terrific hockey team. Our guys really played well. I was so proud of them.

O: The last time BC met Wisconsin in a final was in 2006 when they lost 1-2. Think they have a better chance this time?

GD: I always think that we’re going to win every game. The Wisconsin team that beat us several years ago was a terrific hockey team. And they’re good again this year. But I have a great feeling that we’re going to beat them.

O: The team’s leading scorer is Cam Atkinson, who is only a sophomore. There is a lot of young talent on the team. Because of that, do you see York’s team being a dominant hockey force for the next couple of years?

GD: The saying around here with hockey is  ”We don’t rebuild. We reload.” We have been to nine frozen fours in the past 13 years. As long as Jerry York is here as our coach, we’ll be going to a lot more frozen fours in the near future.

I have to agree. Jerry York is an amazing college hockey coach and he’s coaching a very talented team. On Thursday, they went in and made #1 Miami look like they didn’t belong in the tournament. The victory doesn’t have to be that decisive on Saturday as long as they skate their way to a win.

Speaking of sophomore Cam Atkinson, when I spoke with him after the decisive 7-1 victory on Thursday night. I told him I had high hopes for the team on Saturday. This is what he said:  ”We’re gonna take it home.” That’s what I like to hear. The players need to be confident in their capabilities. They need to take to the ice on Ford Field believing that they can win.

I think that if the team can continue to play the way its been playing, the Boston College men’s hockey team has a good chance at being the 2010 National Champs. Let’s hope they carry Thursday’s momentum into tomorrow. The game is at 7 p.m. on ESPN!

GO EAGLES!

We showed up to Ford Field and watched Wisconsin annihilate RIT. It seemed odd on paper that RIT was playing on the last weekend, and it seemed even odder to actually see them play in person on the last weekend. Even though they looked very good against The University of Denver and UNH, the Tigers looked more like Merrimac than a legitimate Frozen Four contender. One could only feel pity for them as they were massacred in front of 35,000+ in an awkwardly large football stadium.

The Eagles and Redhawks finally dropped the puck at 8:41 pm, the moment we had been waiting for since we left the St. Ignatius parking lot on Wednesday night. Miami came out strong the first ten minutes and outshot the Eagles 5-1. The Redhawks gave us a man advantage towards the end of the first period, and center Ben Smith put one home at 18:32 of the first period. Smith redirected a centering pass from Joe Whitney between Connor Knapp’s legs.

Section 101 at Ford Field erupted in frenzy as the Eagles went into intermission up one, even though it seemed that Miami had outplayed us in the opening act. The Eagles came out roaring in the second period and put up two goals only three minutes into the period. Jimmy Hayes beat Knapp at 2:06, and Joe Whitney followed him up 62 seconds later as he beat Knapp top shelf. The Redhawks’ goaltender seemed to fall asleep in net, prompting head coach Enrico Blasi to pull Knapp in favor of Cody Reichard. Knapp had the second best GAA average in college hockey this season, but it didn’t matter against the Eagles’ offensive barrage.

The SuperFans were rockin’ as we had sights of a rematch with the Wiscy Badgers. After a final intermission, the Redhawks drew first blood in the third period as Joe Hartman beat John Muse far, blocker side from the right circle. The Miami faithful came to life and made Ford Field seem to have a pulse. It rejuvenated their players as well, and they had an extra hop to their skate. That did not matter for long though as the Eagles responded with three goals in a 90 second span, five minutes later. A good number of Miami fans exited the building, and started scalping their title tickets on the spot.

After chants of touchdown Eagles by the always witty Eagle die hards, BC completed the day with a PAT, sans Steve Apponavicius. Ben Smith took over Sid Vicius’ duty and capped a beautiful evening in Detroit. Ford Field resonated with “We Are, BC” chants as security men ushered out the students.

There was also the chant, “one more win,” which would give the Eagles their third national title in the 2000’s. Jerry York has a tall task in front of him. His counterpart, Coach Mike Eaves, father of former BC greats Ben and Patrick, has a very impressive group of players this season. The Badgers are big, strong, have outstanding mustaches and an excellent veteran defense. Their offense also does not seem to be lacking as they were able to complete the two-point conversion against RIT.

However, things could and should be different Saturday night. The Eagles have a proven post-season goaltender in John Muse and one of the best college coaches ever in Jerry York. There are several remaining players from the ’08 championship team who can slow things down and redirect the ship when everything gets a little tighter.

So when 7:00 pm rolls around Saturday night, expect it all to be a little closer than things were Thursday night. It’ll be primetime in Mo Town, and BC will have sixty minutes in front of them to capture the trifecta of Beanpot, Hockey East Title Champs and National Champs. Expect both teams to come out flying, and whoever is able to impose their will on the other will likely be hoisting the trophy around 9:30.

If the Eagles can create space and move the puck they should be able to beat goalie Scott Gudmandson at least a few times. They must fight against the Badgers’ physicality. While the Badgers have Hobey finalist Blake Geoffrin, and two other fifty-point scorers, the Eagles could take the title back to Chestnut Hill if they can play their brand of hockey. Let’s hope that the largest indoor hockey crowd ever will hear the “Jerry” chants into the night.

The Eagles continued their streak of dominance against the RedHawks in Detroit tonight with bursts of unanswered goals. This year marks the fourth year out of five that the Eagles have eliminated Miami of Ohio from the NCAA Hockey Tournament. (Ironically, BU knocked Miami (OH) out of the tourney the other year. Beantown dominance!)

Ben Smith started the scoring late in the first period to give the Eagles a 1-0 going into the first intermission. The break did not stop the Eagles’ momentum at all as they scored two goals in the first 3:10 of the second period, off the sticks of Jimmy Hayes and Joe Whitney.

The rest of the period was offensively quiet, but BC and goalie Muse continued their stellar defense, not allowing any goals. The RedHawks scored their lone goal five minutes into the third period to narrow their deficit to only two. Just when it looked like Miami (OH) may stage a comeback, things fell apart quickly for the Red Hawks. Cam Atkinson netted a goal, followed by Patch Alber and Paul Carey within a mere 90 seconds to increase the Eagles’ lead to five.

The scoring looked to be over at this point, but Ben Smith ended the game just how he started it to give the Eagles a 7-1 lead, which turned out to be the final score.

Ben Smith led the way with two goals and an assist, although this was a great overall team effort by BC. The Eagles scored their 7 goals on only 30 shots against a team that allowed an NCAA Division-I leading 1.84 goals per game in the 2010 season.

Wisconsin beat RIT 8-1 to reach the final. With both BC and Wisconsin achieving impressive wins to reach Saturday’s final, it should be a good, high-scoring game.

The final will be on Saturday, April 10, at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The #4 Boston College Eagles (28-10-3) will look to defeat the #3 Wisconsin Badgers (28-10-4). On Saturday, the Eagles will be looking to avenge their 2-1 loss in the 2006 NCAA finals against the Badgers (which was also in Detroit, but at the Joe Louis Arena).

The Eagles last won the title in 2008 and are certainly coming into this game with momentum, having won the Beanpot and Hockey East title. Not to mention, steamrolling the top-ranked team in the nation tonight.

GO EAGLES :)

The e-mail was also an invitation to welcome our new coach to the Heights tomorrow (4/7) at 5 p.m. on the Campus Green (in front of McElroy.) In order to encourage attendance, if you arrive early, you’ll have the chance to win 2010-2011 Student Men’s Basketball Season Tickets, a JetBlue flight voucher, a Blackberry Curve from AT&T, and BC practice gear.

First impressions are critical, so we’ll see what Donahue has to say on Wednesday… After a 15-16 record this past season, losses to teams like Harvard, and no chance in the big dance, SuperFans need this program to make a 180.

Donahue had success in the Ivy League, leading Cornell to three straight Ivy League titles. In this last season, he led the Big Red to a 29-5 record–the most wins in Ivy history–and to the round of 16 in this NCAA tournament (where they lost to number one seed Kentucky) after they beat Temple and Wisconsin to be the first Ivy team to reach the round of 16 in more than 30 years.

Donahue is replacing Al Skinner, who was fired after 13 years. He is currently in the middle of a $3 million buyout negotiation with BC. While he is the winningest coach in BC’s history, it doesn’t seem like many people are saying Donahue has big shoes to fill, understandably so. That flex offense just wasn’t working.

The most important decision Donahue will need to make now is who to put on his staff. Multiple sources have said that he has already contacted coaches about joining his Eagles’ staff, including one Ivy League head coach. With high expectations for the next basketball season, he’ll want to choose wisely.

If the weather is nice, we should all try to make it out to Campus Green to welcome BC’s newest head coach. If not for the sheer excitement of a new era of BC Men’s Basketball, at least for the chance at winning some cool prizes. Gene did bring him in with the hopes of attracting more people to Conte Forum, so it’ll be interesting to see how many people he attracts to Campus Green. I myself will be in class, unless I make the poor decision to skip my Law class for the second time in a row.

Donahue reportedly met with Gene DeFilippo, BC’s athletic director, and vice president of human resources Leo Sullivan last Wednesday.

Donahue is 47 years old and was with Cornell for 10 seasons, in which he achieved a 146-138 record. He led Cornell to the Sweet 16 in this year’s NCAA tournament, which Duke won last night with a 61-59 victory over Butler.

An announcement regarding this coaching matter may be made as early as today.

BostonHerald.com also broke the news, according to a BC source, that Donahue will be the new BC basketball coach. They reported that Donahue met with Father Leahy this morning on campus for a final interview. They reported that a press conference announcing the new coach is planned for Wednesday (4/7) afternoon.

Stay tuned!

Al Skinner’s tenure at BC was solid. He is the winningest coach in school history. He took over in 1997, when star coach Jim O’Brien bolted for Ohio State. O’Brien also took his future pro point guard, Scoonie Penn, with him. Thus the cupboard was rather bare when Big Al took over.

Al did not find immediate success at BC. Three sub-par seasons were not what Eagle fans had envisioned. The Eagles were ridin’ high with O’Brien at the helm and were disappointed with Skinner’s start. He then met his savior, Troy Bell. Mr. Bell came from Minnesota and was wetter from the field than all those lakes in his home state. Bell and his buddies delivered in 2000-01 as the Eagles went 27-5 and brought home the Big East tourney.

Things were good back in the day. The Eagles had a good stretch that started with Bell and continued with the likes of Craig Smith, Jared Dudley, Sean Williams (for a bit), Tyrese Rice and many other very solid role players.

The Eagles started the ’03-’04 season 20-0 and were ranked third in the nation. The Eagles also made the Sweet 16 in ’05-’06. However, since that season that finished with a disappointing collapse against Villanova in the tourney, BC has been fluttering to say the least. Although they made the tourney two years ago, they bowed out in the first round to a lower seeded USC team.

Thus, two of the past three years have been losing seasons. Not only has the product slipped dramatically on the court, the lack of passion and hustle both by the players and Al is alarming and unacceptable. The Eagles have always dropped games that should be cupcake victories. These past few seasons BC has lost to Harvard, Maine, St. Louis, Robert Morris, etc. These losses greatly hurt BC’s chances at victory. They often did not come ready to play, which does not really make sense, as they all go to school for free to play.

It was pretty obvious that Al struggled at motivating young men to play a children’s game. While I initially got mad at the players, and rightfully so, one must look at the coach as each new wave of players failed to give a better hustle. BC had the rep of playing to their opponents level, something which will never allow a program to get to that ‘next level.’

Al also was rather lazy in his offensive philosophy and recruiting. He demanded on running the restrictive flex offense. The offense was usually too tight and held the offense back from their true potential. BC’s offense was not only extremely boring to watch, but often ineffective and predictable. Skinner also was not huge into mid-game changes to the game plan. He only used about 25% of his allotted timeouts. Perhaps he was in a hurry to go shoot another commercial for his snazzy wardrobe. I mean, who does not love those polo shirts that he buttoned all the way up, sans tie?

And perhaps the most infuriating aspect of Al Skinner basketball was his laziness in recruiting. He always relied on stealing ‘diamonds in the rough’ late in recruiting season. While he rode off of the unheralded guys for awhile, it was clear that would eventually catch up to him. It is virtually impossible to keep finding All-Americans in August before their freshman seasons (i.e. Jared Dudley).

Skinner never developed a good relationship with the local AAU coaches which greatly hurt New England recruiting. While he got Jermaine Watson and Steve Hailey on campus, it’s pretty lame that the state’s premier program could not get any more local talent. He struck out on countless guys, initially. He couldn’t bring in Torin Francis from Roslindale. The guy who grew up six miles away opted to travel to South Bend. Ouch. After he failed on some locals, he just stopped trying to get them. He barely sniffed on Eric Murphy from Southboro or Carson Derosiers from Central Catholic. There was not one freshman in this year’s class. Out of 2300 + students, not one could play hoops well.

So you can probably tell I and many others have been waiting for Al to get the boot for some time now. I am sick and tired of BC coaches acting as if they just accidentally chugged a thing of NyQuil before every game. It is time that Gene goes after a young, energetic coach who can recruit and get people excited. Maybe Donor Based Seating would work if people actually cared about the team. Conte’s attendance is mindboggling. While I doubt Bruce Pearl will jump back to his alma mater, they must find someone who can get the student body, players and alumni to care about the product on the court.

Unfortunately, I doubt that the “Al Skinner basketball camp” takes place this summer. But maybe the new coach will play on Wednesday afternoons in the plex, so Al won’t be too missed in that regard. Also BC should let Reggie Jackson show off his pizzazz in acting and take over for Al’s commercials. Maybe that’ll prevent him from jumping ship.

Last Friday, Skinner interview for the position at St. Johns, but this was reportedly two days after they had reached an agreement. The coaching decision was withheld for a week, reportedly at the request of Skinner so he could look for other jobs.

“We agreed to separate before he interviewed, for the best interests of both parties,” DeFilippo said. “We agreed to part ways before he talked to St. John’s. And we kept it out of the public so that he could gain employment.”

Skinner won more games than any coach in school history, finishing 13 seasons with a 247-165 record and seven appearances in the NCAA tourney since 2001.

BC has scheduled  a news conference for noon on Tuesday (3/30) to announce Skinner’s depature.

The Boston Globe was the first to report that Skinner was out as coach.

Skinner was not fired for interviewing with St. John’s, according to two BC officials. This situation is not the same as when DeFilippo fired head football coach Jeff Jagodzinski last year for interviewing for an NFL job without permission. An agreement had already been reached when Skinner interviewed for the St. John’s vacancy (According to ESPN sources, Skinner isn’t expected to get the job at St. John’s).

Skinner coached at Rhode Island before coming to BC when Jim O’Brien left for Ohio State over academic reasons. He started with only six scholarship players, and four short seasons later, the Eagles won the Big East. He was named Big East and national coach of the year in 2001, and Big East coach of the year in 2005.

DeFilippo said the university has a buyout agreement with Skinner, who is reportedly still owed $3 million for the reamining three seasons on his contract. DeFilippo said that Skinner and his assistants will be treated fairly.

When asked why they were parting ways with Skinner, DeFilippo said “people weren’t willing to go to the arena. There’s a lot of reasons.”

Many say that our men’s basketball is poorly attended at BC regardless of who is head coach and that the Eagles have suffered in Boston because they don’t generate enough college basketball interest with all of the professional sports stealing the spotlight.

As far as who will fill Skinner’s role, DeFilippo has contacted Richmond and Cornell to get permission to speak with their head coaches. He said he has yes to speak to any. It is expected that Harvard’s Tommy Amaker will also be on this short list of possible replacements.

This agreement to part ways comes after the Eagles had a losing record of 15-16, 6-10 ACC and missed the postseason as they were unable to replace all-ACC guard Tyrese Rice.

Whatever coach takes Skinner’s spot will have a roster packed with seniors. Rakim Sanders, Joe Trapani, Corey Raji, Biko Paris, and Josh Southern will all be seniors next season, but the top player will be Reggie Jackson, who will be a junior next season. We can only hope that he won’t transfer after this coaching change.

Those classy, altruistic Terrier fans spanned across the top of one half of the upper deck, while the ravenous Eagles fans covered the other half. The third tier was rocking from the get-go and set the mood for a classic. It was not the start that Eagles fans hoped for though as BU jumped up on the Eagles 1-0 in the first period. BC was not able to effectively clear the zone which gave Kevin Shattenkirk a good look 13:36 into the opening period. The likely bitter winger beat Muse top shelf and gave his boys the first laugh.

The Eagles regrouped during the intermission though and came out roaring in the second period. Freshman Steven Whitney capitalized on a Terrier penalty and registered the Eagles’ first goal 1:01 into the second frame. BC continued to control the game for the next ten or eleven minutes but did not have much to show for it. That changed however 12:33 into the period as senior defenseman Carl Sneep blasted a rocket past the abused Kieran Millan.

BC continued to pour it on Jack Parker and his brainwashed children 3:15 later. Freshman Chris Kreider provided the highlight for the night, what would later be the number one play on Sportscenter. Kreider received a nice pass off the boards from sophomore Jimmy Hayes and took it into Terrier territory with only one man to beat. He used his speed and dangle-ability to give the Eagles a two-goal advantage. The winger put the puck between a hopeless BU defenseman’s legs and tucked a back hander past Millan’s left pad.

Section 322 and those around it went into a frenzy and carried that high into the intermission. A great feeling of optimism resounded throughout the sea of yellow during the break. BC came out strongly to start the third period as well, and Barry Almeida extended BC’s lead to three 4:22 into the third. Things would not be quite as rosy the rest of the way though.

The Marshfield, MA product, David Warskofsky, did his best Brian Gionta impression and put BU back in the game with a flashy short-handed goal. Colby Cohen then parked himself in front of the net and flicked a soft flutterer past Muse with a 6 on 4 advantage to cut the game to one with only 2:46 remaining. It’s safe to say that a few heartbeats were skipped among Eagle fans. They have seen it happen too many times to be fully confident that their team will be able to raise that trophy at the end of the night.

The Terriers would not be able to capture their 30^th title though, as John Muse held off last second desperation shots. BU got six guys on the ice but they were not able to beat the junior goaltender from the Cape. The Eagles sheer determination at the end of the game made that long ride home on the B line seem too brief.

Muse was the Beanpot MVP with 31 saves against BU.

The game was a defensive struggle in the first half. Duke got hot towards the end of the first half though which put the Eagles in a considerable hole. Even though a ten-point deficit should not be insurmountable, it proved to be the difference in the game.

The Eagles slowly crept closer and closer to tying things up in the second half. However it seemed that whenever the Eagles started to gain momentum, Duke would grab a big offensive rebound and either put it back up or kick it out for a three ball.

Things really started to heat up for the Eagles with 5:15 to go in the second half. Nolan Smith drove hard to the hoop but Rakim Sanders would have none of it. The Eagles’ best player pinned Smith’s feeble attempt at a dunk against the hoop. The Eagles then quickly moved the ball down the court and finalized a four-point swing.

That transition cut the deficit to seven.  The Eagles were able to minimize Duke damage and kept inching closer and closer. Meanwhile the student section looked like a sea of bobble heads as the SuperFans continuously jumped up and down. While BC was getting closer to tying it up, there was a feeling throughout that they would never fully catch Duke.

However, that changed with fifteen seconds left when Reggie Jackson drained a clutch trifecta. It seemed ill-advised  when it left his finger tips but brilliant when it found nothing but nylon. The Eagles then quickly fouled the Blue Devil who received the inbound pass. Unfortunately that man was Jon Scheyer, one of the best free throw shooters in the country. Perhaps the skinniest man in D1 basketball, he converted both attempts from the charity stripe. Thus, Conte was going insane as it was clear that about ten seconds and some intimidated security guards stood between the students storming the court and raising Rakim and Reggie onto their shoulders.

However, there would be no image on SportsCenter of the court swarmed with young, highly excitable, yellow shirted, perhaps inebriated people. Jackson brought up the ball and could not find anyone open until he threw it to Trapani with about three seconds left. Trapani was also blanketed by a Blue Devil and heaved a last second desperation three off balance. It glanced off the iron and fell to the hardwood as that ugly buzzer resounded throughout Conte.

Yesterday, the Eagles opened up the Beanpot tournament against an underachieving but streaky Harvard squad. From the start, the atmosphere at the TD Banknorth Garden was antagonistic both on and off the ice. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Harvard student section attempted to make up for their team’s embarrassing showing by attacking that of BC’s relentlessly. However, the Eagle fans drowned out the Crimson’s fans’ weak chants of “SAFETY SCHOOL” by celebrating goal after goal put past Harvard’s “goalie” Kyle Richter.

Harvard’s hostility in the stands proved to be symbolic of their team’s Achilles heel on the ice: penalties. The Crimson committed 17 penalties for a staggering 58 minutes (including an unacceptable 44 for in the third period), enabling six different BC players to score on the way to a 6-0 annihilation of Harvard. Made easier by stout defense from Carl Sneep, who also added a goal and two assists, John Muse turned away 33 shots en route to BC’s first clean sheet in Beanpot play since 2002. Such defensive prowess was a sigh of relief for Eagle fans, especially considering last year’s lackluster 6-1 defeat at the hands of Northeastern in the 2009 Beanpot semifinals.

Standing at an abysmal 5-12-3, Harvard could not have been expecting too much from this year’s Beanpot. However, with neither BC nor BU being as dominant this year as the hockey world has come to expect of them, they certainly had a shot. Now, as they look to regroup, BC looks past the Crimson to a familiar opponent in the rival BU Terriers, who defeated Northeastern 2-1 in a nail-biter yesterday.

Advancing for the fourth time in five years, the Eagles must not get complacent against a Terrier team that is much better than their record indicates. Despite a 4-1 Eagles win at Agganis Arena the first time these teams met this year, BU has since had their number, defeating the Eagles in a pair of one-goal games at Fenway Park and Conte Forum. If Boston College hopes to rectify these disappointments next Monday, they must not come out as they have in the last two meetings. In addition, they must exploit power play opportunities as they did last night, and John Muse must bring a similar type of defensive solidity.

While next week’s championship is anyone’s game, one thing is certain. With the Backyard Brawl in full-force, the Garden will be rocking.

Reggie Jackson led the Eagles with 18 points and 7 assists en route to a shocking 75-69 win over the 21^st ranked Clemson Tigers. The Eagles stormed out to a 23-7 run early in the first half, brought home by an emphatic, and-one alley-oop slam by Corey Raji with 5:57 to go that electrified the crowd as Boston College enjoyed a sixteen point lead.

As the Eagles flew past the Tigers’ suffocating full-court press, fans could be overheard asking themselves if this was the same team that had lost four of its last five. Ranked second-to-last in the ACC in turnover margin, the Eagles maintained good ball movement across the perimeter and took advantage of the fast breaks offered by Clemson’s press. Whereas their stagnant flex offense had prevented them from getting to hoop all year, Clemson’s full-court pressure enabled the Eagles to push the ball. Their aggressive style of play resulted in the capitalization of free throw opportunities, making 24 of 35, including a perfect 10 of 10 by Mr. January, Reggie Jackson himself.

The Tigers struggled to trigger a comeback throughout the second half, yet remained close enough to alarm those fans that know their Eagles all too well. Trailing by double digits throughout much of the game, Clemson sparked a comeback, led by big man Trevor Booker. With two minutes to go, the Tigers had pulled within six points. However, like the Jojo song, it proved to be too little too late as the Eagles were able to somehow hold onto their lead.

While Boston College has a long way to go before even considering a bid to the NCAA tournament, this win was certainly a step in the right direction. Not only does it put a much-needed victory in the win column, but it also gives Coach Al Skinner and the Eagles the confidence they need to compete with the top-25 teams they will be up against all year in the cutthroat ACC. With Florida State, Duke, and Wake Forest coming up, the Eagles will take all the help they can get.

The squad from Chestnut Hill was not stunned by former Nobel Prize winner Matt Barkley’s beauty and made a game of it. The Eagles played the Trojans tough and only trailed by one point at the half, 14-13. However, the Eagles could not maintain that pace throughout, and fell 24-13. Their one-dimensional offense, two key turnovers and inability to stop the Trojans big play ultimately did them in.

They fell behind the Trojans early 7-0 after an uncharacteristic missed tackle by Luke Kuechly, which led to a 51-yard scamper by SC fullback Stanley Havili. The Trojans piled it on via Havili again. Barkley found Havili crossing the end zone and hit him between the 3 and 1 on his Burgundy sweater. BC bounced by in the second quarter and made things a bit closer, 14-6. Montel Harris capped a 6 play, 68 yard drive, with a 7 yard plunge into the soggy end zone.

The Eagles’ defense toughened up and gave their offense more chances to succeed. Shinskie’s greatest contribution came late in the second quarter. He found one of BC’s best receivers of all time running a simple post pattern. Gunnell took a catchable ball and ran it the rest of the 61 yards into the end zone to make it a one point game. On that play, the senior amassed the most receiving yards in school history. While he has always been a sure handed, tough wide-out, he showed off his speed on this particular play, as he outran the Trojan secondary. It was especially impressive when considering that workout warrior Taylor Mays supposedly runs a 4.3.

While I doubt Coach Spaz fed his players any leftover Egg Nog at the half, the Eagles were not the same team in the second half. It took a play for the drowsy juice to kick in though. Marty Bowman picked off the first pass of the second frame on the opening play and brought it back to the Trojan nine. Any Eagle fan east of the Marin Headlands was truly ecstatic. That euphoria was erased on the next play unfortunately. Montel Harris was unprepared for Shinskie’s hand off. The ball and hope of the extravagant Emerald Nut trophy fell on that unforgivable turf and into a greedy D-lineman’s paws.

The Eagles had a great opportunity to take a six point lead. Either a lack of concentration, anticipation of the end zone, fear of Everson Griffin, or a slippery ball led to an uncharacteristic Harris miscue. The Trojans added a 38 yard field goal early in the third quarter. However, the Eagles were still in the game entering the fourth quarter. Perhaps it was the corniness of the four held fingers by the Eagles that brought about their demise (the Trojans are not susceptible to such superstitious downfalls).

There was 12:30 on the clock when the game really went from decently promising to tragic. Uncle Dave tried to do his Brett Favre best late playoff game impression. He attempted to fit the ball between three Trojan d-backs into the hands of a shocked Eagle receiver. It was not the first time that Shinskie had locked in on one receiver and refused to look away. However, after this pick, his 14^th of the year, the Trojans went for the jugular.

Matt Barkley thought it would be a good idea to look for Damian Williams. The junior receiver was on his way to 12 catch, 189 yard day. Number 18 cordially welcomed a 48 yard bomb into his lap that Barkley dropped between three flailing Eagles. Barkley then snuck into the pay dirt which gave USC a 24-13 lead they would never relinquish.

Thus, as good and promising as the first half was, the second half was equally as discouraging. Shinskie’s inability to read a defense or accurately hit an open receiver really put the Eagles at a massive disadvantage. For as impressive Harris’ ability is to shake of defenders and move the chains, Shinskie’s inability to convert, especially on third down was just as alarming. The twenty-six-year-old freshman was 14-33 for 218 yards.

While it was a winnable game, the Eagles would have had to bring maybe their best game of the year to knock of the Trojans. They gave about a B- which kept them in it but ultimately caught up to them. They will have their chance to seek redemption in 2013 and 2014 when the schools will play a home-and-home.

The Eagles only held a one-point lead at the half, 26-25. Both teams struggled from the field, especially UMass. It was ugly from the get-go. Many lay-ups and point blank shots were missed. It was also a hack fest. Each team took advantage of the refs who seemingly forgot what a whistle was. It was not the flashiest half, but it was very competitive.

Rakim Sanders showed up from the opening tip Wednesday, and recorded 9 points in the first half. He played a very good all around game, even though he is far from 100%. For UMass, local product Anthony Gurley kept his team in the game all the way. The Newton North alum and Wake Forest transfer was too much for the Eagles all night. He ended up with 25 points.

As the game progressed the Eagles were able to establish a decent lead. They were up by about ten points for a good portion of the second half even though one might have thought they were trailing if the crowd was any indication. The Eagles received solid contributions from several people. They were pretty focused offensively.

Small forward Corey Raji gave a very solid 30 minutes. The junior from Washington Township, New Jersey had an impressive line of 18-7. Assistant Coach Mo Cassara noted that Raji was only at about 70%. His jumper was not falling in the beginning but he stayed with it and warmed up. He and Rakim Sanders had great chemistry in the second half. Sanders found Raji cutting to the basket with firm, accurate bounce passes that led to several easy points for the Eagles.

Fellow junior big man Joe Trapani delivered a similar stat line. He was on the floor for 37 minutes and gave 18-5. Trap hit two threes that were real back breakers for UMass. His first dagger was mid-way through the second half when UMass started to make a run. His ball went around the rim, popped up high off the iron and fell in. It led to a five point swing for the Eagles that dissuaded any Minuteman charge. He then hit a big three with a few minutes to go that pulled the Eagles away for good. While Trapani will not be on any all-star teams for inbounding the ball, he had a much needed quality performance.

My game ball goes to Rakim Sanders however. He played a solid game in all areas, especially considering his health. He contributed 15 points, pulled down some key boards and made some excellent passes. He could be a real star in 2010 with a healthy ankle. He and Reggie Jackson give the Eagles some athleticism that they may have often seen in the past.

Jackson was solid Wednesday. He netted 13 points and grabbed 8 boards. The sophomore had a fabulous tip slam in the second half that matched UMass’ enthusiasm. The place was rockin’ for the boys from Amherst but Jackson quickly quieted them. He also showed off his ability with 1:15 to go. He gave a Sam Young-esque shot fake and then pulled an Allen Iverson-esque cross-over that led to a sweet floater in the lane. While 13 points is relatively modest, his energy was really fantastic.

The Eagles played well enough on offense to win but they are fortunate that UMass forgot how to shoot a basketball. Their defense struggled but they ultimately survived to tell the story. UMass was truly anemic at the foul line, shooting 58.3%. Their inability at the charity stripe reminded me of BC’s debacle against Villanova in the 2006 Sweet Sixteen. They were also pathetic from the 3 point line. UMass converted 14.3% of their 3s. BC was often beat man-to-man. UMass’ guards often blew by the Eagles to easy points.

While BC’s defense certainly needs some work, so does their rebounding. BC went with a small lineup which was a good call overall. It helped beat the press although that was not flawless. It put more guys on the court that can score, as it removed Josh Southern from the line-up, who generally does not light up the stat sheet. Their lack of size however hurt them on the boards. UMass grabbed 50 rebounds while BC only pulled down 33. Those extra possessions would have really hurt BC had UMass been able to find their stroke.

While Al Skinner should be hoping that Chris Cringle will bring improved defense and rebounding, this game was a step in the right direction for BC. They will welcome the USC Gamecocks on December 30^th. If they can maintain this offensive production and toughen up in a few areas it should be a winnable game. They have a little bit of time before the schedule gets meaty, when they will travel down to Clemson January 9^th. BC will need to grow some hair on their chest if they want to compete with Trevor Booker and his friends.

The team’s intensity matched the fans attendance and enthusiasm. There were an overwhelming twelve students in the section opposite the band. Meanwhile I think most of Kingston, Rhode Island caravanned up to witness another trouncing of the Eagles.

The Eagles first possession of the game was ominous to the disaster that would follow. Following the Rams’ first basket of the game, the Eagles were unable to break URI’s full court press. BC displayed horrific ball handling throughout the contest, if one could even call it that. Joe Trapani consistently struggled to inbound the ball. He would often loft a soft pass to a tightly covered man who sauntered to get open. The receiver rarely stepped to the ball with authority.

The turnovers put the Eagles in an immediate hole. Their apathetic play wasn’t just on the offensive side of the ball, unfortunately. Their effort on defense was less than valiant. There were several occasions that URI sprinted 94 feet while the Eagles were caught admiring one of their handful of baskets. When they did get back on defense, they struggled to switch off of screens which led to a parting of the paint. Even if the Eagles were in position, URI’s superior athletes did not seem to mind their presence. The men proudly representing the Ocean State connected on 9 of 15 three-point attempts. It is safe to say that Al Skinner doesn’t exactly coach defense to the same excellence of Larry Brown. BC’s perimeter and interior defenses were lacking.

It might be time to say that the Eagles are officially in a crisis in terms of big men. While they have three fairly large human beings, none of them are able to produce in the game. To save time, space and anger, let’s just say that I’d recommend the Eagles go with a small lineup and maybe eliminate the center position. While that could put them in a hole, especially defensively, the men they are plugging in there are just flat out not getting the job done.

A smaller lineup would probably help protect the ball better as well. A lineup of Biko Paris, Reggie Jackson, Rakim Sanders, Corey Raji and Joe Trapani would certainly help beat the press. They aren’t gaining much by inserting Southern, Ravanel or Dunn into the game. Al must recognize that it is time to mix it up. It can’t get much worse than the current state. The losses to Harvard and URI are not only infuriating, but might even prevent the Eagles from playing late in March if they do turn it around.

Before the Eagles can even begin to think about beating mighty Bryant University, they must take a long, hard look into the mirror. While they have a week to regroup, I am pessimistic in thinking that they can do it. While the players themselves must start to give a rat’s ass, Coach Skinner might have to do something too. While I can’t see Al using any of Herb’s Brooks tactics, it’s about time he startles the Eagles’ comfort zone. I suggest he tighten up ship because it could sink very soon otherwise.

The team lacks leadership and enthusiasm for the game, which isn’t rare for an Al Skinner team. While the team has had moderate success in his tenure, it’s reaching a new point of impassionate basketball. While people often moan and whine about the monotony of the flex offense, it’s hard to prolong those complaints as it is usually somewhat effective and fitting for the athletes that Al attracts.

While I doubt Gene will look for someone to replace Al, I think Al should start to squirm a little bit. Perhaps a spontaneous team meeting, excessive conditioning or an inspirational speech will do the job, but I don’t think this pony is picking up any new tricks any time soon. Al is very rigid.

If Al’s Wednesday afternoon games in the Plex are too demanding for him to change his routine, the players will have to pick up their own slack. What an absurd thought, players solving their own problems. Perhaps the leader will be Rakim Sanders. The junior returned Sunday and recorded 15 points, even though he was far from 100%. The swing man was limping a bit but toughed it out. His beef is still there which he could use to his advantage this year. Combined with a sweet stroke and impressive athleticism he may be just the man to get this thing going. He won’t be able to do it single handedly though. The Eagles must have an epiphany and begin to hustle if they want to start beating up on some A-10 schools, let alone ACC teams.

Weber State                                                                                          September 4^th

Kent State                                                                                          September 12^th

Brian Kelley’s Fighting French                                                      October 2^nd

With ACC home games: Va Tech, Clemson, Maryland and UVA. It was also noted that we go to the Carrier Dome Thanksgiving weekend.

They rebounded however by knocking off The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and followed up with a win in their first conference game against The University of Miami last Sunday. While people thought that they might start to roll, they lost to the Harvard Crimson for the second straight year at Conte Forum.

Far too many times in Al Skinner’s tenure have the Eagles come out with absolute duds. They lost to Harvard and St. Louis University last year. While they still managed to make the tournament, they were playing with fire by lally-gagging through these non-conference games.  They defeated Duke and North Carolina which probably put them over the top and gave them a seven seed.

With already a few suspect losses early on in the ’09-’10 campaign, the Eagles will need to win 10 ACC games again, and probably have to knock off one of the top dogs for an invitation to dance.

Last year, I looked to a lack of leadership from Tyrese Rice to explain their unenthusiastic brand of basketball. It appeared that several times throughout last season that the Eagles forgot what time the game really started. The same was true with Rice himself. He often was scoreless in the first half before exploding in the second.

While Rice was a sub-par leader, the Eagles will need to find a more bona fide one this year if they are to go anywhere. It appears that they are still searching for that man. On Tuesday night, the man who should replace Rice, Reggie Jackson, pulled a similar act. Jackson was aloof in the first half and did not register a single point. He decided to get down to business in the second half and he recorded 13 in the latter frame. While Rice was more of a star from day one, Jackson has the talent to be another Eagle great. He, however, must work on his consistency.

Consistency was not just a problem for Jackson, unfortunately. Joe Trapani got the memo early and had 17 first half points. The lanky junior was raining 3s on the Crimson. He was 4-5, all in the first half. He was shutdown in the second half, however, which put the Eagles at a great disadvantage.

While the Eagles have rebounded very well this year thus far, especially against Miami, they were out-rebounded by Harvard, which is truly inexcusable. Josh Southern wasn’t exactly David Robinson-reincarnate. They are going to have to toughen up underneath. I can only imagine what Kyle Singler and Ed Davis will do if the Eagles’ patsy play continues.  The team in general must toughen up. Regardless of what he did against UConn, there’s no reason that Jeremy Lin should be Dwayne Wade-ing BC year after year. BC has the talent to stop Lin but they didn’t yet again. There is a reason he is at Harvard and not BC.

The Eagles need a healthy Rakim Sanders to return soon. They welcome Rhodie the Ram and his boys on Sunday night. This game is a must-win. URI always brings a strong fan base up 95 which usually correlates to a tough game from them. While they don’t have Lamar Odom or Cuttino Mobley anymore,  they will probably give the Eagles all they can handle.

I already fear that Bapst will be more full than Conte so the players won’t be getting much help from the SuperFans. I’m not really that sympathetic for the players though as it is their responsibility to get it together. I know the semester is winding down but athletes get more money on their meal plan than most of Sub-Saharan Africa is afforded for a year. They can afford the coffee to wake up and get it in gear. Reggie and Trap must lead the way game in and game out. Raji must keep providing that consistent grinding beat and continually post double-doubles. Perhaps most importantly, Rakim must come back and be the impact player that he can be.

They don’t have any more time to waste getting beaten by kids who were picked last in gym class.

Freshman linebacker Luke Kuechly, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year after receiving the votes on 29 of the 40 possible ballots.  He finished the regular season second in the nation in solo tackles (81) and total tackles (142) and averaged an impressive 11.83 tackles per game (the highest by any NCAA rookie since recording this statistic started in 2003.)

Matt Tennant, senior center and team captain out of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been named one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the outstanding center in NCAA football. Tennant has started all 40 games at the center position since becoming the starter before the 2007 season.  His contributions on offense prevented Dave Shinskie from getting sacked often and allowed Montel Harrie to rush for 1,355 yards this season.

The only other center from Boston College to receive this honor of being a finalist for this award is Dan Koppen, who is now the New England Patriots’ center.

The five other finalists for this award are from Hawaii, Texas, Texas Christian University, Florida, and Baylor.  The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be announced during the ESPNU/Home Depot College Football Awards show, which will air live from Orlando, Florida, on ESPN on December 10.

Men’s Hockey:

Freshman forward Chris Kreider, of Boxford, Massachusetts, is one of 29 players named to the preliminary roster for the 2010 U.S. National Junior Team.  After participating in a training camp in mid-December and then tournament play, a final roster will be selected to compete at the 2010 International World Junior Championship, which will take place from December 26, 2009, through January 5, 2010.  This season, Kreider has played in 10 games, scoring five points on two goals and three assists.

Women’s Soccer:

Senior Kelly Henderson, of Baldwin, New York, is one of 15 players named to the semifinal list for the 2009 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy.  The award is the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA soccer.

The Eagles who finished 18-4-2 after losing in the Elite Eight benefited from Henderson at the defender position.  She started all 24 games and was a key to their defense, which had 16 shutouts this season and only allowed 13 goals.

The 2009 MAC Hermann Trophy recipient will be determined by Division I head coaches.  The list of 15 semifinalists will be narrowed down to three finalists on Friday, December 11.  The winner will be announced on Friday, January 8, 2010.

Men’s Basketball:

BC’s basketball boys held on for a 62-58 win over Michigan in front of 10,718 fans in the Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Led by Corey Raji with a game-high 24 points, sophomore Reggie Jackson contributed with 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Joe Trapani aided in the victory with 11 points and 12 rebounds, his first double-double of the season.

Trapani made a three-point field goal with 36 seconds left in the first half, snapping an 82 minute and 38 second drought that BC had not made a three-pointer during.

The Wolverines weren’t going to give up this game easily though as they went on an 11-0 run, making three three-pointers, to narrow BC’s lead to just six points with only 1:57 remaining in the game.  Jackson helped the Eagles hang on as he made five of six free throws in the final minute.

The Eagles (5-2) have a tough game coming up this Sunday at home as they will play in their first ACC game of the season against the undefeated Miami Hurricanes.

Women’s Basketball:

After dropping the first three games of the season, the Eagles have won their fourth consecutive game by beating Iowa 72-67.

Junior Stefanie Murphy led the team with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Brittanny Johnson and Mickel Picco each contributed 12 points. Last week’s ACC player of the week Carolyn Swords contributed 11 of her own.

The Lady Eagles look to improve to 4-4 overall with a win at home on Saturday over Monmouth N.J.