The second season of the Earl Grant era at Boston College begins Monday night with the Eagles hosting Cornell in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Despite finishing just 13-20 (6-14 Atlantic Coast Conference) last season, there is some buzz surrounding BC. Four starters and five of the top seven scorers are back from a team that advanced to the ACC quarterfinals for the first time since 2018.

“At the end of last year, we saw all of the things we were working towards (as a team),” Grant said at the ACC Tipoff. “It was a pursuit. It just showed up at the end.”

Graduate Makai Ashton-Langford, junior DeMarr Langford and sophomore Jaeden Zackery all return after scoring in double digits.

Ashton-Langford was at his best during Grant’s debut season, averaging 12 points per game. The Worcester, Mass., native scored at least 20 in four ACC games.

“I like coaching guards. They get a lot of freedom, so I think he enjoyed that,” Grant said. “Having him back as a fifth-year warrior is a big deal. He’s played at Providence and now he’s been with me. He’s battle tested.”

Senior forward T.J. Bickerstaff rounds out the Eagles’ returning starters. Senior Quinten Post looks to build after playing with the Netherlands National Team over the summer.

Cornell ranked 17th nationally in scoring offense (79.2 points per game) on its way to winning 15 games and finishing fourth in the Ivy League a season ago.

The balanced Big Red had 11 players average at least 10 minutes per game, and four returnees earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors at least once. However, sophomore guard Chris Manon is the only returning starter.

“You can take some things from last year and we played a certain way and surprised some people, but that’s in the past,” said Brian Earl, the reigning Ivy Coach of the Year. “This is a new season. We’re 0-0.”

BC hasn’t faced Cornell since 1976, but it did open last season against another Ivy foe in Dartmouth.

–Field Level Media