With Quinten Post’s collegiate career coming to a close, he’s approached his final few games with a higher sense of urgency.
“I’ve been a little emotional the last few days, because I realized that every one of these games could be my last,” Post said. “And just thinking back on all my years in college, and especially my three years at BC and what this program, and these coaches, and my teammates have meant to me—they’ve meant the world to me. I told the guys, ‘I’m not ready to be done.'”
But after Post picked up his second personal foul less than seven minutes into Boston College men’s basketball’s Wednesday night matchup against Clemson, the Eagles needed his supporting cast to step up for him.
And that’s exactly what they did.
“I’m trying to play every game like it’s my last game, and tonight, everybody played like it was their last game and it showed,” Post said.
Led by 27 points from Claudell Harris Jr. and 22 points from Jaeden Zackery, No.11-seed BC (19–14, 8–12 Atlantic Coast) knocked off No. 6-seed Clemson (21–11, 11–9) to advance to the ACC Tournament quarterfinals for the second time in three seasons.
The Eagles held the Tigers to 35 percent field goal shooting—over 10 percent below its average prior to the game—to knock off the Tigers, 76–55.
“We were just playing BC basketball,” Devin McGlockton said. “Hold them under 60—that’s what we do. And [when] we hold them under 60, we’re gonna win.”
Despite the 9:30 p.m. tipoff, Post showed no signs of tired legs in the early going. After recording 30 points and 13 rebounds on Tuesday night, the 7-footer picked up right where he left off and needed just over six minutes to score nine points en route to an early 16–7 lead for the Eagles.
By the 13:01 mark, Post picked up his second foul, forcing Grant to replace him with Armani Mighty. Led by center PJ Hall, the Tigers took advantage of Post’s absence and stormed back into the game with an 8–0 run.
But as Clemson pulled within a point, down only 18–17, BC’s second-leading scorer Harris took the baton from Post and led the Eagles on a run of their own. With Post sidelined with foul trouble, BC went on a 14–1 tear over the course of 5:22 to take a 32–18 lead at the final media timeout of the half. Harris finished the half with 13 points, as the Eagles rolled into the locker room at halftime ahead 40–28.
“Sometimes adversity and negativity [are] supposed to be bad,” BC head coach Earl Grant said. “But sometimes you grow from it.”
Even with Post’s return to the floor in the second half, Harris continued to pour it on and reached the 20-point mark with 12:15 left in regulation. With help from Zackery and Donald Hand Jr., the Eagles left the Tigers no room to creep back into the game.
BC’s lead never fell below double digits in the second half, allowing the Eagles to claim a second straight blowout victory—this time against a potential NCAA Tournament team—and setting up a Thursday night rematch against Virginia.
Grant’s Eagles are no strangers to the ACC Tournament’s quarterfinals, as BC’s most recent appearance in 2022 ended in heartbreak. According to Post, however, this season’s team is better equipped to get over the hump.
“We’re playing for each other and that’s the difference,” Post said. “We got veteran leadership. We got young, talented guys. So I just feel like we’re more ready than we were two years ago.”
