Boston College steps back outside of Atlantic Coast Conference play to host in-state foe Stonehill on Sunday afternoon in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
The Eagles (6-4) enter their penultimate nonconference game with three consecutive losses following a five-game win streak, but they have not seen action since opening ACC play with a 72-66 loss at Wake Forest on Dec. 7.
Fourth-year coach Earl Grant’s team is looking to build upon making a season-high 12 3-pointers against the Demon Deacons. Elijah Strong hit four of them as part of an 18-point night.
“We were doing what we practiced — guys were sharing the ball and being unselfish,” Grant said. “We’ve got a really good shooting team. … We’ve shot it well a lot this season, and (that) was another one of those nights.”
The Eagles have connected on double-digit threes in four games and are 6-2 when Strong makes at least one. Donald Hand Jr. (13.6 points, 7.8 rebounds per game) is the team’s top overall producer.
More strong shooting will help the Eagles break a drought that dates to sweeping the Cayman Islands Classic before Thanksgiving. The current skid includes home losses to Dartmouth and South Carolina.
“It’s a journey. It’s a long season,” Grant said after the Nov. 29 loss to Dartmouth. “You’re going to experience a lot of different things — some triumphs, some defeats. But all you can do at this point is steer it and right it and try to get better.”
Stonehill (6-5) had a 10-day break between beating MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac and their 97-53 win on Wednesday over Division III Lesley University.
The Northeast Conference’s Skyhawks have faced one ACC opponent (Notre Dame) and two Big East teams (Providence and then-No. 10 Marquette) already in their third Division I season.
“To have six wins, and what we’ve been doing, and a lot of wins that we’ve had, and the caliber of teams that we’ve played, it’s been a good start for our group,” Stonehill coach Chris Kraus said.
Incarnate Word graduate transfer Josh Morgan leads Stonehill with 14.8 ppg and has scored at least 20 five times this season, including 22 against Quinnipiac.
Lone returning starter Todd Brogna averages 12.3 points and a team-high 6.2 boards. He had 16 points on Nov. 6 at Notre Dame, which was the Skyhawks’ first road game.
The Lesley win saw Louis Semona score a career-high 24 points off the bench. Brogna added 16.
–Field Level Media
