First-year head coach Earl Grant announced his arrival into the ACC in a big way Friday night with a statement victory over Notre Dame. Boston College men’s basketball displayed the ideal version of its current brand of basketball, and its defensive effort, grinded-out half-court offense, and scrappy rebounding prevented the Fighting Irish from ever finding a rhythm.
Solid performances all around carried the team to the finish line. At no point did the Eagles (6–3, 1–0 Atlantic Coast) trail the Fighting Irish (3–4, 0–1) during the 73–57 drubbing, and the team remains undefeated at home after six games.
Hard in the Paint
Thus far in the season, Grant has adopted a center-by-committee approach, splitting minutes at the position between James Karnik and Quinten Post. On Friday, it did not matter who was in at the five, as both big men had their way against an undersized Notre Dame squad. The duo combined for 30 points, 19 rebounds—including six offensive boards—and three blocks.
Notre Dame had no answer for the pair of bigs. Karnik and Post shut down the interior on defense, and scored at will from the low post all night. The Eagles dominated the glass, winning the rebound battle 38–27.
For Karnik, the maturation is obvious. He looks significantly more comfortable on offense, and through eight games, he is shooting 55.6 percent from the field, a marked improvement from last year’s number of 43.9 percent. In Friday’s outing, Karnik had a double-double by halftime and finished the game with 17 points, hitting eight of his 11 field goal attempts. He has led the team in scoring in both of the team’s last two games.
Defense, Defense, Defense
The Eagles knew exactly what to look for on defense against a Notre Dame team that adores the 3-point shot. Thanks to the high-effort perimeter defense, the Irish could never get going behind the arc, shooting just 28.6 percent from deep.
The shooting woes seemed to stymie their entire offensive game plan, and easy buckets were nowhere to be found all night for head coach Mike Brey’s squad. Overall, Notre Dame shot just 38.2 percent from the field and scored a season-low 57 points. The Eagles’ slow pace on offense, too, prevented the Irish from capturing anything close to momentum, and it wasn’t until the 11:17 mark in the second half that Prentiss Hubb became the first Notre Dame player to reach double-digit points.
Not only were the Eagles aggressive on defense, but they played with a poise and intelligence that kept them out of foul trouble. BC finished the game with just seven fouls. In contrast, the Eagles had nine steals, many of which led to easy baskets on the other end.
New Era
With a crowd of over 6,000, the BC fans came out and supported the team to its first ACC win of the season.
“I thought the student section was amazing,” Grant said in his postgame press conference. “We had The Sickos in there tonight, a group on campus that was making a lot of noise and made a huge difference.”
While Grant’s brand of basketball is not the most flashy, excitement looms in Chestnut Hill. Friday night’s environment paralleled the high energy and scrappy play of the Eagles, who appear to be playing with genuine joy and love for the sport. This game felt like a critical juncture for the program as a whole. Still, it is important to keep expectations tethered, at least for now. It’s only year one with Grant at the helm, so expect a long season.
Featured Image by Aditya Rao / Heights Staff
