Virginia vs Boston College Basketball Preview
By Josh Burton
Coming off a tough 54-44 home loss to North Carolina, the University of Virginia Men’s Basketball team now sits at 20-8 (11-6 in ACC play) as they set their sights on a road visit to Boston College. This game will tip at 9 pm EST on Wednesday (2/28) and will air on ESPNU.
About Boston College
The Boston College Eagles are led by head coach Earl Grant, in his third season. Grant is 44-49 at Boston College, going 21-35 in ACC play. This season, the Eagles are 15-12 (6-10 in the ACC). BC is coming off an 81-70 road loss at NC State.
Boston College is a good team offensively. They rank within the top 35 in three-point percentage. All five starters are capable of knocking down shots from outside. They have eight players who average double-digit minutes, with the starters being:
PG - Jaeden Zackery (6’2” Junior) Averages 11.7 points, 4.3 assists and 3 rebounds per game.
G - Claudell Harris Jr. (6’3” Junior) Averages 13.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
G - Mason Madsen (6’4” Senior) Averages 8.5 points per game, hitting 46.9% from three.
F - Devin McGlockton (6’7” Sophomore) Averages 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
F - Quinten Post (7’ Covid-year Senior) Averages 15.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3 assists per game while hitting 44.3% from three.
Also of note to Cavalier fans, 6’5” freshman Donald Hand Jr. plays a key role coming off the bench for BC, averaging 5.6 points per game.
Post Game
Quinten Post offers a unique matchup that has given the Wahoos problems at times this season. Post can not only attack at the basket but is capable of knocking down outside shots while being an excellent passer.
While I thought Jordan Minor played an excellent game against Armando Bacot this past weekend, Post being able to spread the floor along with his passing may prove to be a tougher challenge. Both Jordan and Blake Buchanan will have to be up to the task.
Enter Eli
While the Cavalier offense has been mostly stagnant for the last three games, the coaching staff has had no choice but to explore additional options. With that, first-year Elijah Gertrude has seen a big uptick in his playing time in the past week, culminating in a career-high nineteen minutes played Saturday against UNC.
While Elijah hasn’t shot the ball very well, he has shown an aggressiveness in getting to the paint and attacking the rim. Maybe more importantly, he has been very sound with the ball, having played 27 combined minutes this week without a turnover.
For a team that has really needed a spark of energy, Eli’s athleticism and fearlessness to attack the basket may be part of the remedy. Look for Elijah to continue getting rotation minutes the rest of the way.
Next Up
Following BC, the Wahoos will be on the road again Saturday (3/2) as they head to Durham to take on Duke. This one will tip at 6 pm and air on ESPN. Be sure to join the Locker Room Access crew pregame as we discuss the biggest road game of the year!
(Featured Image Credit: Getty)