Tonight, the Boston College men’s basketball team tips off their season against FAU. Let’s talk about our hopes, dreams, and expectations for how this year could play out.
What gets you most excited looking
ahead to this season?
Curran: A cohesive roster. Grant said at ACC Tipoff that he and his staff knew exactly what they were looking for when they hit the portal this offseason. On paper, this roster fits much better than last year’s (no more 6’4 Roger McFarlane at the 4!)
Curtis: Fresh faces and a promising outlook! Last season seemed like it was doomed from the start (because it was). This year we have a proven quality player to lead the team in Donald Hand, a good player coming back from injury in Fred Payne, and some new additions from the transfer portal that could have a real impact. Maybe it will work out, maybe it won’t, but at least there are some interesting storylines to watch develop.
BC is relying on a lot of young talent to bolster their trajectory this season. How well do you think the roster will come together?
Curran: There will be bumps early on, no doubt about it. BC is almost always at a talent disadvantage, even in the down ACC of the past few years. What I’ll be monitoring closely is how this team develops over the course of the season. Gradual progress was a hallmark of Grant’s first four teams on the Heights; the Eagles would often hang tight with or beat teams that had blown them out at the beginning of the year (remember Makai Ashton-Langford’s game-winning layup against Wake Forest in 2023?). That did not happen last year; if anything, the team felt worse. I want to see progress over the course of this year.
Curtis: Fred Payne, or somebody else unexpected, has gotta make a big impact. I think Earl Grant has done a good job of filling some holes with role players through the transfer portal and recruiting to put together a cohesive squad. But unless Payne or somebody else makes a big leap, they are going to be lacking a second playmaker and scorer to go alongside Hand.
Who’s your player to watch this season?
Curran: Fred Payne. If the exhibition against UConn was any indication, Payne will be moving into the starting lineup at the 2 spot. He’ll also handle some reps at the 1. BC needs a second option to emerge offensively behind Hand, and my bet is on Payne. His combination of 3-point shooting and ability to get to the cup should work well with Hand’s let-it-fly approach.
Curtis: Donald Hand is the obvious answer, so that will be my pick. I expect Earl Grant to basically give him the reins to the offense and he should be really fun to watch.
What are some of the biggest question marks for you heading into this season?
Curran: The front court. I expect the 4 to be manned by two newcomers in Shaw and Asemota. Shaw is a veteran, having played 3 season in the SEC, but he never averaged more than 4 points per game. Asemota, meanwhile, barely played last season at Baylor. After last season’s debacle at the 4, this team very much needs productive minutes from Shaw and Asemota. Meanwhile, at the 5, Hastings has to prove he can stay on the floor and Boden Kapke needs to prove he can hang defensively in the ACC.
Curtis: Yeah, what Curran said. The backcourt has guys that Grant will trust, but BC doesn’t have any proven big guys. Hastings looked good at times last season, but he fouls too much and was a minor factor on offense. I’m hoping that at least one of Shaw, Asemota, Jack Bailey, or even Kany Tchanda will surprise us, because otherwise the Eagles may be getting dominated in the paint all year.
What is the baseline that would make you count this season as a success?
Curran: This is tough for me. At a bare minimum, this team needs to be more competitive and win more than last year’s team, but that obviously sets a low bar. This is Year 5 of Grant’s tenure. I am sympathetic to the fact that he did show tangible progress in Years 1-4, even if he ultimately likely underachieved with the 2023-2024 squad. Last year’s dip was unacceptable, but I do think Grant learned from it; his roster retention and construction was seemingly much better this offseason. But I say it again — this is Year 5. Boston College has the second-longest NCAA Tournament drought in the country, and I’m not really comfortable labeling “success” as beating last year’s meager 12 wins. I think real success would be something like 20+ wins and living up to Hand’s prediction of a top-5 finish in the ACC, but I just don’t see it happening.
Curtis: A record that gets a few wins over .500 overall (so 17 or 18 total wins) would be a success in my book. There are a lot of new pieces for this team, so I don’t expect them to do particularly well early on in ACC play. But the out-of-conference schedule is very manageable. If Grant can get them to turn a corner around January to start winning a few extra conference games, that would give me some hope for the trajectory of the program.
Any bold predictions or unexpected developments you think could play out for the Eagles this year?
Curran: The likeliest shock, in my mind, is that Grant gets fired. I just don’t see a world where this team breaks through, as much as I want to believe.
Curtis: Donald Hand 1st team all-ACC??? (I highly doubt it, but maybe 2nd or 3rd team if we’re lucky!)
Finally, what is your prediction for how Boston College’s season concludes?
Curran: 15 wins, with a 6-12 conference record.
Curtis: A 14-16 record, 7-13 in the ACC. Improved from last year, but still a struggle to watch.
