#166 R.P.I. Boston College @ #218 R.P.I. Virginia Tech:
The race for last place is on!
Or maybe this will read better … Boston College and Virginia Tech will tangle for the right to the 13/14 A.c.c. Tourney seed!
Or maybe not…
As anyway you slice it, these are indeed the bottom two teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference race.
Boston College enters this one at 10 up and 18 down or a game worse than Virginia Tech overall. Albeit deadlocked at 2-14 with Virginia Tech within A.c.c. play. Prior to upsetting the NC.State Wolfpac, Boston College had dropped 9 in a row and had only posted 2 wins overall since just after Christmas. Or in other words, this is not a very good basketball team, although it does employ one very good individual baller and one pretty decent sidekick.
Will that be enough???
Read on to find out…
Boston College at a glance:
- Out of 351, no metric better than 134th (assist:turnover ratio, +1.o4)
- Only one metric worse than 280th (blocks, 2.15 bpg)
- Or a very bounded C— team no matter where you look.
- 310th in offensive rebounding!
- 5 major injuries!
- Will Magarity: Questionable (concussion), 6’11” 24o lb. Swedish Soph., P/F, 4 ppg, 3 boards. Reasonable International competition numbers.
- Idy Diallo: Out (knee, cartilage tear), 6’10” 240 lb. Los Angeles Laker area Fr., P/F, NO playing time this year, very modest looking H.S. numbers.
- Lonnie Jackson: Out (hamstring tear), 6-4 180 lb. Sr., Cali’ kid, 9th all-time @ B.C. in 3-point shooting! 7-10 ppg marksman, injury history dates back to H.S.
- Darryl Hicks: Out (knee), 6’2” 184 lb. Louisville area r-freshman, already missed last year with an A.c.l., decent looking H.S. numbers, yet to play at B.C.
- KC Caudill: Out (calf tear), 6’11” 300 lb. bulwark monsta Center, Sr. year, 2 ppg 1.5 rpg; career back-up.
- God Bless^5th power!
- (as 32% of the Eagle roster likely done for the year!)
B.College Backcourt: (returning starters=2 of 3)
Dimitri Batten: 6’3” 2o4 lb. graduate-Senior from Kecoughtan Va. Actually by way of Old Dominion as he completed his degree and thus enjoys a benevolent 5th year of eligibility with no need for any sit-out time as a grad-student transfer. Staunch looking guy on film, does not play silly games, does play the game with a steely eyed determination. Second leading scored at O.D.U. for two straight years; has fallen off those Monarchical numbers a bit up on Chestnut Hill; 6.7 ppg, with 3.o rpg and 1.3 dimes. Decent although not great shooter (43% and 32% respectively). Was dropping 11 ppg at O.D.U., just has the look-n-feel of a kid who could be doing a bit more. Although his shooting has slowly and slightly improved year after year. Glue kinda guy that is good for bench and lockeroom adhesion alike and holding things together the right way thanks to bu-cu experience(s).
Patrick Heckmann: 6-6 210 lb. final year imported Germanic shooting-G from Mainz Germany. 8.4 ppg and a second best 4.2 rpg shows you just how depleted the B.C. post game is all less the 7’er down below. Twice named M.V.P. of the N.B.B.L. league over in Germany; which seems to hint at a higher ceiling than he has been able to showcase in A.c.c. play up at B.C. Has been streaky to the point of inconsistent at Boston College. Scoring in the 30’s every bit as much as he has been close to being skunked (0 ppg). Absolutely makes the Eagles a tougher out when he is on from the outside and mid-range. Did break out of an arctic streak last game (14 ppg) after tallying 0, 2, and 5 over the last two weeks. And guess what? B.c. went to NC.state and pulled the upset win once Patrick got himself back on track. An in-game mm of Mercury or barometer type player to watch; accordingly.
Olivier Hanlan: 6’4” 190 lb. junior year Lead-G from Quebec, eh. Very nice looking pure scoring lead-G (see: pic) who broke in at just below 16 ppg as a rookie and now nets you almost twenty at 19.7 ppg this year! Has international, F.I.B.A. and Canadian national level experience and said awards all under his belt. Seems to play better and even outright offensively unload on the bigger stage. Third best 4 rpg and a team leading 4.2 apg, and the team lead in steals at 1.4 spg on a respectable 37% from downtown; this does not suck. In point of fact, this is an all-A.c.c. baller trapped on the bottom or next to bottom A.c.c. team. This kid is a pro’ and he’s prolly an Association pro’ at that. Pretty decent stuff when every single defense is drawn up to stop him, and from a guy that NBAScout say could not set the table for others. Has been on a pure tear of late, what with 32, 32, and 39 in three of his last five (24 and 19 in the other two, mind you).
Bee.Cee. Frontcourt: (starters back=1 of 2)
Dennis Clifford: legit 7’2” true-Center, 255 lbs. worth of Junior year Five down-low. Has a series of knee injuries (Godspeed), that have impeded his matriculation as a Center. Missed the opening half of this campaign and did not debut until 2015, accordingly. Seems to play better vs. Virginia Tech historically however, –for whatever reason(s)? Gives you 7.7 ppg and a team leading 5.3 rebounds and a likewise team leading 1.2 blocks. Nearly the one and only true credible rebounding threat on the other A.c.c team that just can not work the glass. Pretty amazing shot blocking scholastic numbers than have been collegiality reduced no thanks to said knee procedures, plural. Leading B.C. at 50% from the floor.
Aaron Brown: 6.5 215 Derek Fisher L.A.Laker lookalike clone! Previously a 2-guard who has been forced into a pseudo Swing role or even down into the paint as a undersized Three attempting to check opposing Fours. That’s not good sports fans, although Aaron Brown does give it the good ole college try. Second in scoring at a very nifty looking 15.2 ppg, where is home position 2-Gurad quicks and moves are just too much for some S/F’s and most any P/F out on the Iso’ play edge. Grad’ student from Southern Miss’, this after his initial college season at Temple. Well-traveled kid who has seen and done it all. 3.2 rpg and 2.1 assists on a serviceable 31% from outside and 41% overall. Has somehow added over 6 ppg. to his annual scoring average since arriving from So.Miss’, ergo has to at least be in the A.c.c. Most Improved conversation.
Flying Eagle Bench: ( depth~2 )
- Garland Owens: 6’5” 210 lb. Maryland native in his sophomoric season. Scores 3.3. ppg and snags 2.2 boards. Quad-A Maryland state titlist as a senior and had a pretty good gridiron career as well. Does have the occasional ability to heat up from the arc in relief.
- Eddie Odio: 6’8” 210 lb. Miami Florida senior year front-court substitute. Part-time starter last year for B.C., with numbers that looked more pine-squad or bench role-player to me. 2.o ppg with 2.8 on 33% from the floor and 22% from 3-point are moderate at best. Does have some hops, and did enjoy some Volleyball offer’s outta Miami as well.
Loading ...Illation, conclusion (s) and OPT digits:
Ultimately?
In any lowercase game of not good vs. not good, or maybe even an outright match-up of bad on bad? Generally, I would be inclined to find the squad with the top player (or two) and simply side with that. As no other sport is such a player driven sport as hoops. This courtesy of the 1/5th or 20% line-up contribution percentage by individual definition. As there are only 5 starters in basketball and there are more starters in every single other major team sport. This puts the onus on the round-ball individual, and magnifies star-power individuals all the more.
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So that round clearly goes to the Flying Eagles courtesy of Mister Olivier Hanlan –and to a lesser extent Mister Aaron Brown. They net you a combined 34.8 ppg for Boston College compared to Virginia Tech’s top to scorers Bibbs (who has been way off of late) and Smith who get you 25.9. See what I mean? The hard-court is the ultimate sport where stars star.
So I’ma gonna pick Boston College; right?
Well, up on Chestnut Hill? I surely would. And the recent five game trends say I surely should. As Bee.Cee is shooting better and defending better than Virgina Tech is. A +12% aggregate FG percentage margin if you are keeping score at home. +6% at the FT-line and you might just need that in any pick ’em game on paper.
That, plus the fact that I’m expecting something of a flat O&M effort after expending so very many Commonwealth Cup emotional bullets, and this one top of having just Duke(d) it out.
(63% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=63, Boston College=72
“LETS GO!”
“Hokies!”
bourbonstreet**