Five Thoughts About BC's 3-1 Start
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Boston College didn’t trail at any point of its first three games. But when the Eagles got down at Rhode Island Wednesday, they couldn’t claw their way back.
BC had just one more field goal than URI had blocks, and the Eagles—still missing Brevin Galloway—made just three 3-pointers.
The loss begs the question: Will BC be able to score consistently in ACC play?
Without further ado, here are five thoughts about the Eagles’ 3-1 start to the 2021-22 season:
BC’s offense hinges on the Langford brothers: DeMarr Langford Jr. and Makai Ashton-Langford combined to average 30 points through the first three games of the year. They had just seven against the Rams. Langford was 1-of-8 from the field and 0-of-2 from the line, while Ashton-Langford’s five points all came at the charity stripe. Ashton-Langford, who shot just 23.5% from deep in 2020-21, started the season 5-of-8 from long range yet was 0-of-3 at URI. His younger brother, meanwhile, has attempted only one triple in four games. If he’s to make a run at the next level, he’ll have to add that to his game.
Langford was too passive in the first half at URI. He attempted just three shots. On the season, he’s using just 18.8% of BC’s possessions, according to KenPom. He should be the star of this team. That means at least trying to shoot out of a slump or willing his way to the cup when BC is enduring a scoring drought.
The Eagles need to find some kind of success from 3-point land: It’s no surprise that BC ranks 339th nationally in adjusted tempo, per KenPom. Earl Grant is a defensive-minded head coach, and his teams at College of Charleston didn’t typically play with pace. That said, the Eagles need ways to create open shots, particularly those from beyond the arc. It was a problem at URI. And BC has yet to make more than seven 3-pointers in a game this season. As far as point distribution goes, a mere 20.4% of the Eagles’ points this year have come via 3-pointers, which is the 29th-lowest percentage in Division I college basketball right now. Judging by the season opener, Galloway appears to be the Eagles’ green light shooter from outside. But he looked off before exiting early in the second half of that game. And BC surely needs reliable 3-point shooting elsewhere. It’s something to monitor as the season progresses.
TJ Bickerstaff can do it all, and it’s time to take note: ACC competition hasn’t started, but it’s safe to say Bickerstaff, who was part of Drexel’s NCAA Tournament team last year, is a legit scoring option for the Eagles. The 6-foot-9 junior forward is a capable stretch four who leads the team in scoring (14.3 points per game) despite averaging 25 minutes per contest.
Bickerstaff knocked down a pair of 3-pointers at URI, including one late in the second half that was part of a critical four-point play. He’s 4-of-7 from downtown this season and is tied with Langford for the team lead in field goal percentage (52.6%). Bickerstaff registered career highs in points (25) and rebounds (15) Wednesday, logging a double-double in the process. He can throw it down in the paint and pull up from 10-12 feet as well as from beyond the arc.
Grant has ushered in much-needed defensive intensity: BC has held each of its first four opponents under 65 points. The Eagles rank 129th in adjusted defensive efficiency and are posting an 11.5% steal percentage, which is good for 93rd in the country, according to KenPom. In the loss to URI, BC limited the Rams to just 4-of-16 from the field in the second half. There’s just a newfound energy on that side of the court. Ashton-Langford’s chase-down block was a perfect example. URI guard Jeremy Sheppard picked Asthon-Langford’s pocket and started his run on the break. Rather than giving up on the play, Ashton-Langford made up lost ground and swatted the layup off the backboard. Grant is preaching communication at all times, and it’s apparent his players have bought in defensively.
Quinten Post could start gobbling up more minutes at the five: The 7-foot Mississippi State transfer got his first start of the season at center Wednesday. He played well in the first half with nine points and three rebounds. The second period, however, saw him get into some foul trouble and shoot 0-of-4. Still, Post’s skill set is intriguing. He moves really well under the basket for his size. He has finesse that James Karnik doesn’t possess. Karnik, who was a bit of a defensive liability for the Eagles last year, played only seven minutes in the URI defeat. It will be worth tracking his usage as the season wears on. Before the opener, Grant said that Post and Karnik would split time down low. That wasn’t really the case versus the Rams.
