Overall record: 16-17, 7-11 in the ACC
Head coach: Steve Donahue
Tenure at Boston College: Fourth season
Career coaching record: 192-190
Home court: Conte Forum
Starters: C Dennis Clifford, F Ryan Anderson, G Patrick Heckmann, G Joe Rahon, G Olivier Hanlan
Bench: G Alex Dragicevich, G Lonnie Jackson
Overview: Boston College should have no problems with continuity this season. The Eagles return all five starters as well as 96.3 percent of their scoring from a year ago. Although they were one of the least experienced teams in the conference last year, Boston College is now one of the most experienced squads in the ACC, despite the lack of any senior contributors on the roster.
The Eagles’ biggest offensive threat is sophomore Oliver Hanian, the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged a team-high 15.4 points per game as a freshman and has the potential to develop into a dominant scorer who can average more than 20 points per game.
Junior Dennis Clifford is the only true center on the roster and is the primary option for Boston College down low. At 7-foot-1 and 250 pounds, Clifford has a bruising body that can dish out punishment in the paint. He was limited to just 14.6 minutes per game last season due to a nagging knee injury, forcing head coach Steve Donahue to play Ryan Anderson at center for large chunks of time. Anderson performed well in that role, averaging 14.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, but at 6-foot-9 and 216 pounds, he is not quite the imposing force that Clifford can be.
One thing that needs to go right: Clifford’s health and consistent minutes establish a low-post presence to complement the Eagles’ otherwise guard-heavy lineup.
One thing that could go wrong: Teams figure out how to slow down Hanlan and he goes through a sophomore slump, making it difficult for Boston College to score consistently.
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