Afternoon Quickie: Ladies Lose in Beanpot; BC-NC State Preview
By Joe Micik
Boston College will not defend its Beanpot title in 2012, falling to the Northeastern Huskies in a shootout, 2-1. The game means nothing in the conference standings, but it is BC’s first loss to the Huskies in four games this season, though one with different rules (since ordinarily, this game would have ended in a tie).
Eagles goalie Corinne Boyles performed admirably in defeat, saving 41 Northeastern shots but getting bested in the shootout. Emily Field notched the only goal for Boston College.
BC is back in Hockey East play on Saturday afternoon when they host Providence.
Tonight, the Eagles will face an NC State Wolfpack team that pretty well outplayed them for most of the game two weeks ago. BC are 10-point underdogs heading into this rematch (were 17-point underdogs in their 76-62 defeat). A defeat for the Eagles tonight would be their season-worst fifth loss in a row.
One major problem BC had the first time around was rebounding, in which NC State had a 40-23 advantage. Richard Howell gained 16 on his way to a double-double. Speaking of, Lorenzo Brown had 11 assists and was one point shy of an unconventional double-double of his own. Steals were also a big problem for the Eagles, as the Wolfpack did it an astounding 16 times during the last game.
Boston College will not have Patrick Heckmann, perhaps until March, due to Mono and other injuries.
In the past two games, the Eagles have played at least 30 good minutes of basketball, but games are 40 and two shockingly-bad collapses came against Virginia and Miami. This does not look like a likely BC win, though if the Eagles have anything going for them, it’s that NC State also enter this game on a losing streak, though just a meager two games.
Tipoff is at 8pm ET. It will be televised on TV38 and ESPN3.
Today is National Signing Day. Save yourself the anticipation and resign yourself to the fact that nothing crucial will happen for BC today. Recruiting news has been mixed in the past day or two, as the Eagles gained Rutgers defector TE Michael Giacone but there is word that BC will lose the (soft) commitment of DT Jaxon Hood to Arizona State, though we will not have to wait long to find out one way or the other. If Hood leaves, in addition to Sam Grant, Akeel Lynch, and Donovan Henry, four football recruits will have decommitted in the last two weeks — and if that concerns you, you aren’t alone.
BC fans better hope that Steven Daniels becomes, and stays, academically eligible to help salvage what can only be described as a weak recruiting class.