02-11-2026, 03:33 PM
Another big game - all seven remaining games will be big in the scramble for ACC tourney seeding. Stanford will likely be favored in only two or three of the seven (including this one). But each game (with the possible exception of the finale at NC State) is winnable. At BC tonight, Stanford is favored by 2.5 and the over/under is 139.5 - making the implied score 71-68.5.
This will be a homecoming for Ebuka Okorie. He is from Nashua, NH, less than 50 miles from Boston. On the Eagle Insider message board, EagleDiesel9 posted, "Okorie is going to light up the Morgue for his homecoming game in a Stanford win. The script is written." I presume "the Morgue" is a not-so-affectionate name for the Conte Forum, BC's home court (they do rank 16th in the ACC in attendance, so Stanford should feel right at home). In any case, I hope EagleDiesel9 knows what he (she?) is talking about.
Boston College was the only team picked to finish behind Stanford in the pre-season ACC poll. They come into this game with a 9-14 record, 2-8 in the ACC, & 8-5 at home. Their two ACC wins came at home vs. Syracuse (their best win of the season) & Pitt three weeks ago. Since then, they have lost four straight - at UND, vs. UVa, at Duke, & vs. Miami. In all but the Duke game, BC led and the half and were competitive throughout, so they are not a pushover.
The Eagles are last in the ACC in scoring (67.3ppg), scoring margin (-1.3ppg), FG% (40.4), 3pt% (29.5), and assists (11.26/game). They are also ranked near the bottom in turnover margin, steals, and rebound margin. On the positive side, they are 4th in defense (68.6ppg), 2nd in blocks (4.61/g), & 3rd in opp 3s% (29.7%). I haven't watched enough of BC to have any real insight, but it seems that they might be reliant on half-court defense and, perhaps a deliberate style of play.
BC relies heavily on two players who rank 2nd & 3rd in the ACC in playing time, both with 34+ minutes/game:
#5 Fred Payne (6'2/185 RSo G) 15.0 ppg (#18 in the ACC) on 41.0% FG shooting (#20), with 2.2 3s/game (#12). Adds 2.9 assists/game (#20) with a 2.1 assist/TO ratio (#12).
#13 Donald Hand Jr. (6'5/210 RJr G) '25 ACC Most Improved Player & All-ACC HM, one vote for pre-season ACC PoY. 14.3 ppg (#21 in ACC).
Other expected starters are:
#33 Boden Kapke (6'11/255 Jr F/C) spent 2 years at Butler. 5.7 rpg (#25 in ACC).
#22 Jordan Hastings (6'9/240 RSo F) 5.8 rpg (#23), 1.8 blocks/g (#4). >3 fouls/game with 4 DQs.
#10 Luke Toews (6'1/190 So G) 43.6% on 3s.
All of these potential starters except Kapke (a transfer) played in the Eagle's 78-60 loss at Maples last season. Hand started in that one and had a tough time, going 2-10 from the field. Hopefully Smith & Co. have a good plan to limit him once again. Foreshadowing this season, Hastings fouled out in that game. Agarwal, Young, Cammann, Gealer, Thompson, Grant, Toure, & Stinson all played in that game, although a lot of the heavy lifting was done by Raynaud, Blakes, Sellers, & Okpara, who all scored in double figures.
The only significant "big" off the bench is #23 Aiden Shaw (6'9/210 Sr G/F) who spent 3 seasons at Missouri. He gets 6.6 rebounds/game (#15 in ACC) & 1.3 blocks/g (#8). Guards off the bench are: #9 Chase Forte (6'4/190 Gr) - at his 5th school in 6 years, averaging 2.7 assists/g (#23); and #30 Caleb Steger (6'5/180 FR).
Despite the cross-country trip, this feels like a must-win. If favored Clemson & Syracuse can prevail over Va Tech & Cal in the 4pm games, a Stanford victory would boost them into a tie for 9th place in the ACC (and the final bye for the ACC tourney). A loss would drop them to 13th - perilously close to 16th place, which misses the tourney. On Monday, BC took down Boston U. to win the Beanpot, a big-time hockey tournament including Harvard & Northeastern. It was their first Beanpot title in 10 years, and hopefully it used up all of BC's sports karma for this week.
This will be a homecoming for Ebuka Okorie. He is from Nashua, NH, less than 50 miles from Boston. On the Eagle Insider message board, EagleDiesel9 posted, "Okorie is going to light up the Morgue for his homecoming game in a Stanford win. The script is written." I presume "the Morgue" is a not-so-affectionate name for the Conte Forum, BC's home court (they do rank 16th in the ACC in attendance, so Stanford should feel right at home). In any case, I hope EagleDiesel9 knows what he (she?) is talking about.
Boston College was the only team picked to finish behind Stanford in the pre-season ACC poll. They come into this game with a 9-14 record, 2-8 in the ACC, & 8-5 at home. Their two ACC wins came at home vs. Syracuse (their best win of the season) & Pitt three weeks ago. Since then, they have lost four straight - at UND, vs. UVa, at Duke, & vs. Miami. In all but the Duke game, BC led and the half and were competitive throughout, so they are not a pushover.
The Eagles are last in the ACC in scoring (67.3ppg), scoring margin (-1.3ppg), FG% (40.4), 3pt% (29.5), and assists (11.26/game). They are also ranked near the bottom in turnover margin, steals, and rebound margin. On the positive side, they are 4th in defense (68.6ppg), 2nd in blocks (4.61/g), & 3rd in opp 3s% (29.7%). I haven't watched enough of BC to have any real insight, but it seems that they might be reliant on half-court defense and, perhaps a deliberate style of play.
BC relies heavily on two players who rank 2nd & 3rd in the ACC in playing time, both with 34+ minutes/game:
#5 Fred Payne (6'2/185 RSo G) 15.0 ppg (#18 in the ACC) on 41.0% FG shooting (#20), with 2.2 3s/game (#12). Adds 2.9 assists/game (#20) with a 2.1 assist/TO ratio (#12).
#13 Donald Hand Jr. (6'5/210 RJr G) '25 ACC Most Improved Player & All-ACC HM, one vote for pre-season ACC PoY. 14.3 ppg (#21 in ACC).
Other expected starters are:
#33 Boden Kapke (6'11/255 Jr F/C) spent 2 years at Butler. 5.7 rpg (#25 in ACC).
#22 Jordan Hastings (6'9/240 RSo F) 5.8 rpg (#23), 1.8 blocks/g (#4). >3 fouls/game with 4 DQs.
#10 Luke Toews (6'1/190 So G) 43.6% on 3s.
All of these potential starters except Kapke (a transfer) played in the Eagle's 78-60 loss at Maples last season. Hand started in that one and had a tough time, going 2-10 from the field. Hopefully Smith & Co. have a good plan to limit him once again. Foreshadowing this season, Hastings fouled out in that game. Agarwal, Young, Cammann, Gealer, Thompson, Grant, Toure, & Stinson all played in that game, although a lot of the heavy lifting was done by Raynaud, Blakes, Sellers, & Okpara, who all scored in double figures.
The only significant "big" off the bench is #23 Aiden Shaw (6'9/210 Sr G/F) who spent 3 seasons at Missouri. He gets 6.6 rebounds/game (#15 in ACC) & 1.3 blocks/g (#8). Guards off the bench are: #9 Chase Forte (6'4/190 Gr) - at his 5th school in 6 years, averaging 2.7 assists/g (#23); and #30 Caleb Steger (6'5/180 FR).
Despite the cross-country trip, this feels like a must-win. If favored Clemson & Syracuse can prevail over Va Tech & Cal in the 4pm games, a Stanford victory would boost them into a tie for 9th place in the ACC (and the final bye for the ACC tourney). A loss would drop them to 13th - perilously close to 16th place, which misses the tourney. On Monday, BC took down Boston U. to win the Beanpot, a big-time hockey tournament including Harvard & Northeastern. It was their first Beanpot title in 10 years, and hopefully it used up all of BC's sports karma for this week.
