Virginia To Face Boston College in ACC Quarterfinal
In an ACC quarterfinal matchup, the 3rd seeded Virginia Cavaliers face the 11th seeded Boston College Eagles on Thursday night. Game time is 9:30 PM Eastern at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, televised on ESPN.
Boston College advanced to the quarterfinal round with comfortable wins over Miami and Clemson in consecutive nights, while this will be Virginia’s first game of the tournament after earning the double bye. The Cavaliers won the only regular season meeting between these teams in late February by a score of 72-68 at BC.
About Boston College
Led by head coach Earl Grant, Boston College is 19-14 overall this season. They’ve improved their record in each of Grant’s three years at the helm. The Eagles finished ACC play at 8-12. They’re currently on a four game winning streak. It’s a fairly experienced team with some nice young players sprinkled in. Three starters arrived as transfer additions, including two that were new this season.
Boston College is #91 in the NCAA’s NET rankings, as of Wednesday. Making this a Quad-2 game for Virginia.
Boston College’s Personnel
The Eagles have settled into a primary seven-man rotation.
G- Jaeden Zackery (6’2” Junior) Averages 11.5 points, 4.3 assists
G- Claudell Harris Jr. (6’3” Junior) Averages 13.3 points, 3.6 rebounds
G- Mason Madsen (6’4” Senior) Averages 8.3 points, 41% from three
F- Devin McGlockton (6’7” Sophomore) Averages 10.4 points, 6.2 rebounds
C- Quinten Post (7’0” Super Senior) Averages 17.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, shoots 44% from three.
Two bench players provide solid contributions. Sophomore forward Prince Aligbe (5.3 PPG) was a starter for most of the season. And a familiar name to Virginia fans, freshman guard Donald Hand Jr. (5.2 PPG) shoots 37% from deep.
Post Game
Boston College big man Quinten Post has been a thorn in UVA’s side. He went for 24 points and 10 rebounds in the most recent game against the Hoos. A lot of his damage was done at the foul line, where he went a perfect 11 for 11.
It’s a tough matchup. His ability to score inside as well as stretch the floor with his shot makes him a difficult assignment for traditional centers. Post is very capable from deep, hitting 44% this season. Virginia's Jordan Minor will be matched up with him to start. Freshman Blake Buchanan will most likely have a big role in this game, as his mobility makes him a bit better suited to guard Post.
Tale of the Arc
Both of these teams shoot a really good percentage from three-point range. The Eagles are at 36% on the season, while the Cavaliers are a tick better at 37%. Boston College shoots a higher volume though, particularly of late.
Three-point makes have been a major indicator of success for Boston College and Virginia. When the Eagles have hit at least 10 threes, they’re 11-1. When the Cavaliers connect on 6 or more treys, they’re a perfect 14-0.
Up Next
The winner of this game will advance to face either Duke or NC State in the ACC semifinal round on Friday night. As always, the Locker Room Access pregame show gets rolling 30 minutes before tipoff. Available on Facebook, YouTube, and X.
(Featured Image Credit: Josie Drumheller/UVA Athletics)