Boston College was relatively quiet this week, with only a win at home against a terrible Louisville squad. With Miami visiting Conte Forum on Saturday night before a rematch with the FSU Seminoles on 2/20, however, there are some big, winnable matchups coming up this week. Let’s get to it:
1. Lineup changes.
Given Prince Aligbe’s struggles and recent injury knock, Earl Grant moved him to bench against Duke. Many expected that once he was back to full speed, he’d be reinserted. Perhaps he is not 100%, but Mason Madsen has taken his role as the starting 3 and he has played very well, especially offensively. He’s logged three straight games of double-digit points, shooting better than 45.5% in all three as well. He’s also 5/13 from downtown in that stretch, a 38.4% mark and one that has provided a lift to the Eagle offense. His true shooting percentage is up to 61.0%, good for second on the team, and he brings excellent energy, a willingness to run the floor, and the ability to aid the offense without needing the ball in his hands.
The issue is on defense. Let me preface this by being very clear – there are players who struggle on defense because they look disinterested, lazy, or unengaged. Madsen is the opposite. I think he is a great athlete, and his work rate is off the charts. He’s created some splash plays on defense in forcing some crucial turnovers and sticking with his man. However, on a possession-by-possession basis, Aligbe provides size and length that Madsen simply does not have. The stats reflect this, too – Boston College allows 100.3 points per 100 possessions with Madsen on the court, compared to 97.5 when Aligbe is out there. If you just watch the game against Louisville, the eye test supports this too. BC scored 89 points (after overcoming yet another atrocious start) but gave up 77. For me, I love Madsen’s inclusion in the starting lineup. I think he’s earned the opportunity. What I will say, however, is that Harris and Madsen both in the starting lineup leaves the Eagles undersized and really vulnerable in pick and roll defense. I’d like to see what a lineup of Zackery – Kelley – Madsen – McGlockton – Post looks like, or even Hand instead of Kelley. Zackery can take the lead perimeter threat on the other team, Kelley can handle the rock while also providing defense, and offensively this lineup has a whole lot of options to score. Zackery hasn’t missed a pull-up midrange in about a month. Madsen is on a tear, McGlockton is always in the right place, and Post is Post. My one concern is a lack of dribble penetration – the offense becoming too stagnant – but I think this lineup offers balance on both ends of the floor, and allows Harris to cook second units.
2. Catch-and-shoot 3s ignite this offense.
I know, it sounds simplistic. And to some extent, it is, especially when it seems for the last 3 years we’ve all been crying out for more shooting to unlock our offense. But when the ball isn’t getting stuck in one guy’s hands, we don’t force bad shots, and actually run our offense, we generate good looks. Outside of Harris (who will hit the most difficult 3 of the night right before missing a wide-open one), most of the guys on the team are more than capable of knocking down the shots that they should. When the offense is working, and we are generating those looks, we convert at a high clip. Case in point: 47.8% from downtown against Louisville. It becomes a positive cycle, too, because the more open perimeter looks we generate the more space becomes available to attack aggressive closeouts.
One player in particular this benefits: Harris. His struggles in recent weeks come when the Eagles are struggling for offense, and Harris starts jacking up shots to try and shoot his way out of a slump. Often they are awful shots. But when he gets in rhythm (he loves the left corner catch-and-shoot trey) and the offense as a whole is working, he thrives. He doesn’t have to do it all himself, and he also is able to create for others. Once he beats his man off the dribble, he’s outstanding at drawing the help defender before finding a backdoor cutter (generally McGlockton) for an easy layup. That kind of staple works so effectively, is so difficult to guard, and requires floor spacing (another reason Madsen benefits this offense so well).
- 3. Slow starts. AGAIN.
It is really, really aggravating watching this team go down early in games every time they set foot on the court. Yes, we won against Louisville, but the Cardinals are terrible. I’ll take a W, but I think what most people want to see is not just winning in these types of games, but improving general struggles over the course of the season. Yet there we were, down 8 at half after allowing 47 first half points to the worst team in the ACC. Earl Grant’s teams tend to improve as the course of the season progresses. We need to be getting to that time of the year. How BC fairs in these next 3 games will be very telling.