Boston College Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts Michigan
December 14, 1999 | Men's Basketball
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Boston College hosts Michigan in a non-league game in Conte Forum. The game will mark the Eagles' second game this season against a Big Ten foe.
1999-2000 EAGLE BASKETBALL
Michigan (6-1) at Boston College (5-2)
December 19, 1999 -- 1 p.m.
Silvio O. Conte Forum (8,606) -- Chestnut Hill, MA
SERIES AGAINST MICHIGAN: Boston College and Michigan have met only once on the hardwood, with the Wolverines gaining an 88-70 victory in the ECAC Holiday Festival in Madison Square Garden on Dec. 26, 1972. Henry Wilmore led Michigan with 31 points, while Campy Russell registered 29 points and 17 rebounds. BC was led by senior Dave Walker (20 points) and junior Mark Raterink (17 points, 12 rebounds).
BIG EAST-BIG TEN: Today's game marks the eighth meeting this season between BIG EAST and Big Ten schools. The Big Ten holds a 5-2 lead ... Boston College lost to Penn State in University Park, Pa., 85-57, on Nov. 27.
WHO'S HOT: Freshman guard Troy Bell is averaging a team-high 20.0 points per game. He is shooting 54.3 percent from three-point range (19-for-35). Bell has led the Eagles in scoring in six of seven games. He has scored more than 20 points in four games ... Junior forward Jonathan Beerbohm scored a career-high 14 points in BC's win over St. Francis (Dec. 11). The game also marked his fourth double-figure scoring effort of the season. He scored 10 or more points in five of 27 games last winter ... Sophomore forward Brian Ross grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against St. Francis. He has led the Eagles in rebounding in four games, including each of the last two.
BIG EAST HONORS: For the second consecutive week, Troy Bell was recognized by the BIG EAST Conference. After averaging 19.0 ppg in two wins, Bell earned league Co-Rookie of the Week honors for the week ending Dec. 12. He shared the honor with Seton Hall's Darius Lane. Both Bell and Lane hail from Minnesota.
LAST GAME: Boston College defeated St. Francis, 72-66, in Conte Forum in its most recent game (Dec. 11). Freshman Troy Bell led the Eagles' attack with 17 points. Junior Xavier Singletary added 16 points (10 free throws), while classmate Jonathan Beerbohm netted a career-high 14 points (6-for-8 FG). Sophomore Kenny Walls finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. His nine rebounds tied his career high. Sophomore Brian Ross grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds ... BC shot 52.0 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes and led 36-22 at halftime ... BC led by 15 points -- 62-47 -- with 3:19 remaining, before the visiting Terriers used a 13-4 run to close to within six points with 34 seconds left.
HIGHS AND LOWS: BC recorded several season "highs and lows" in its win over St. Francis.
DEPTH: Boston College's bench has outscored its opponent's bench in six of the first seven games. The BC reserves are averaging 27.6 points per game, including a 52-point effort in the season opener against New Hampshire ... BC's reserves scored a season-low eight points at Holy Cross (Dec. 7).
BALANCE: The BC scoring attack is evenly balanced between points from returning players and points from the team's newcomers. Entering today's game, BC's returning players have scored 264 points, while the newcomers have tallied 267.
WHO'S BACK?: Boston College returns eight lettermen, including all five starters, from the 1998-99 season ... The 1999-2000 roster features two seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and five freshmen. One of the seniors, guard Dwayne Pina, has two years of eligibility remaining. One of the juniors, guard Xavier Singletary, is actually a newcomer. Singletary played two seasons at Howard University, before transferring to BC and sitting out last season.
BOSTON COLLEGE'S PROBABLE STARTERS
| Pos. | No. | Name | Yr. | PPG, RPG | Last Game | |
| F | 00 | Uka Agbai | Fr. | 4.7, 4.1 | 2 pts., 2 reb. | |
| F | 3 | Michael Cotton | Sr. | 3.7, 3.7 | 4 pts., 6 reb. | |
| F | 45 | Brian Ross | So. | 7.1, 6.1 | 0 pts., 11 reb. | |
| G | 2 | Troy Bell | Fr. | 20.0, 2.3 | 17 pts., 1 reb. | |
| G | 23 | Xavier Singletary | Jr. | 12.4, 2.7 | 16 pts., 3 reb. |
1998-1999 RECAP: The 1998-99 Eagles finished with a 6-21 record, including a 3-15 BIG EAST mark.
THE COACHES
THE HEAD COACH: Al Skinner is in his third season as the Eagles' head coach. Skinner assumed the head coaching duties at Boston College on April 17, 1997. A 1974 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, he starred on the Minutemen's basketball team. He finished his collegiate career with 1,252 points. A team captain as a senior, he has subsequently been elected to the University's Athletic Hall of Fame. Following his collegiate career, Skinner played professional basketball for six years -- with the New York Nets (ABA and NBA), Detroit Pistons (NBA), Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) and Joventut (Barcelona, Spain) ... He has a 26-39 record in two-plus seasons at the Heights. Prior to coming to BC, he enjoyed nine successful years at the University of Rhode Island. In his tenure at URI, Skinner had a 138-126 record, leading the Rams to two NCAA Tournament (1992-93 and 1996-97) and two NIT (1991-92 and 1995-96) bids ... Skinner has a career record of 164-165.
vs. the Big Ten: Al Skinner has a 3-9 career record against Big Ten opponents. Skinner has a 2-6 record against Penn State (0-1 at BC), a 1-1 record against Purdue (both NCAA Tournament games) and an 0-2 mark against Minnesota.
THE ASSISTANT COACHES: Skinner is joined on the BC bench by associate head coach Tim O'Shea, assistant coaches Bill Coen and Ed Cooley, and administrative assistant Pat Duquette. Three of the four -- Coen, Cooley and former BC star guard O'Shea ('84) -- came with Skinner from Rhode Island, while Duquette came to BC from St. Michael's College.
PLAYER NOTES
#00 UKA AGBAI: The freshman forward is averaging 4.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game through seven games ... Agbai has started each of the last three games. In his first collegiate start - against Massachusetts (Dec. 4) - he finished with two points and six rebounds in 28 minutes ... He recorded his second double-figure scoring effort of the season -- 10 points -- against Hartford (Nov. 29) ... He registered six points, six rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes at Penn State (Nov. 27) ... Agbai came to Boston College from New York City's Archbishop Molloy High School, where he played for legendary head coach Jack Curran.
#2 TROY BELL: The freshman guard is the Eagles' top scorer, averaging 20.0 points per game. He has led the team in scoring in each of the last six games ... He has already topped the 20-point mark in four games ... He leads the Eagles in both three-point field goal percentage (54.3 percent, 19-for-35) and free-throw percentage (90.7 percent, 39-for-43).
Free Throws: When Troy Bell shot 12-for-14 from the foul line against Massachusetts (Dec. 4), it marked the first time a BC player had made 12 free throws in one game since Danya Abrams sank 12 (of 19) against Pittsburgh on March 6, 1997.
20 Points: When Bell registered 20 or more points in three consecutive games (Nov. 29-Dec. 7), he became only the sixth BC player since the 1989-90 season to reach the 20-point plateau in three consecutive contests. Bill Curley (twice), Danya Abrams (three times), Scoonie Penn, Antonio Granger and Kenny Harley are the others. Only Penn accomplished the feat as a freshman.
BIG EAST Rookie Honors: After averaging 25.5 points per game in two games between Nov. 29-Dec. 5, Troy Bell captured BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors. Bell is the first BC player to earn conference (weekly) honors since Duane Woodward shared BIG EAST Player of the Week accolades with Notre Dame's Pat Garrity on Jan. 19, 1998.
#3 MICHAEL COTTON: The senior swingman is averaging 3.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game ... He registered seven points and six rebounds -- both season highs -- in 25 minutes against Massachusetts (Dec. 4). He also grabbed six rebounds against St. Francis (Dec. 11).
#4 JONATHAN BEERBOHM: The junior forward is averaging 8.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game this season. He has scored in double figures in four games ... Most recently, he recorded 14 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots in 26 minutes against St. Francis (Dec. 11). His 14-point effort was a career high ... He tallied 10 points in a home win over Hartford (Nov. 29) ... Beerbohm registered 11 points and five rebounds at Penn State (Nov. 27) ... He played a productive 15 minutes in the season opener against New Hampshire, finishing with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
#5 DWAYNE PINA: The senior guard is averaging 2.2 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 11.8 minutes per game this season ... He did not play in the Eagles' game at Holy Cross (Dec. 7), snapping a string of 50 consecutive games played (last DNP: vs. Villanova, Dec. 30, 1997) ... He tallied five points (all free throws), two rebounds, two assists and three steals in 19 minutes against New Hampshire (Nov. 20) ... He averaged 4.3 points and 4.3 assists in a team-high 30.0 minutes per game last winter. He played in and started all 27 games ... Pina, who began the 1999-2000 season with two seasons of eligibility remaining, joined the team as a walk-on prior to the 1997-98 season, but quickly earned a scholarship.
#10 NICOLAS DUNN: The junior guard, who joined the team as a walk-on prior to the 1997-98 season, scored his first collegiate points in the Eagles' home win over Hartford (Nov. 29). Dunn sank a three-point field goal as time expired in BC's 104-62 victory. The shot was Dunn's third career field-goal attempt, his first three-point field-goal try.
#13 KENNY HARLEY: The junior guard is averaging 4.9 points, 2.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game this season ... Most recently, he registered four points and a season-high six rebounds against St. Francis (Dec. 11) ... He scored a season-high 14 points (5-for-10 FG, 4-for-4 FT) in the Eagles' win over Hartford (Nov. 29) ... He registered eight points and four rebounds at Penn State (Nov. 27) ... In the Eagles' win over Vermont (Nov. 23), he handed out a career-high six assists in 22 minutes.
#21 KENNY WALLS: The sophomore swingman is averaging 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game ... Most recently, he recorded 14 points and nine rebounds against St. Francis (Dec. 11). His 14 points marked his second double-figure scoring effort of the season (and 16th of his career), while his nine rebounds equaled his career high ... He registered nine points, three rebounds and two steals against Massachusetts (Dec. 4) ... He scored a team-high 18 points in the Eagles' season opener against New Hampshire (Nov. 20) ... He has handed out five assists in each of two games this season.
#23 XAVIER SINGLETARY: The junior guard is the Eagles' second-leading scorer, averaging 12.4 points per game. He has scored in double figures in six of the first seven games ... Most recently, he tallied 16 points (10 free throws) and three rebounds against St. Francis (Dec. 11) ... He scored 20 points (7-for-12 FG, 3-for-7 three-pointers) in the Eagles' win over Vermont (Nov. 23) ... Singletary made his Boston College (regular-season) debut against New Hampshire (Nov. 20). He finished with 16 points and three rebounds in 30 minutes ... Singletary played his first two collegiate seasons at Howard, before transferring to Boston College and sitting out the 1998-99 season ... At Howard, he scored 933 points in two seasons (50 games). As a sophomore, he ranked ninth among the nation's Division I scoring leaders with a 22.3 ppg average.
#31 OSEI MILLAR: The sophomore forward is averaging 3.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game ... He grabbed a career-high nine rebounds in the Eagles' win over Hartford (Nov. 29) ... Millar recorded eight points, four rebounds and three steals in 15 minutes against New Hampshire (Nov. 20) ... In the win over Vermont (Nov. 23), he grabbed seven rebounds ... Most recently, he recorded five rebounds in 12 minutes against St. Francis (Dec. 11).
#32 ANDREW DUDLEY: The freshman forward/center recorded four points (2-for-3 FG) and four rebounds in six minutes against Vermont (Nov. 23) ... Dudley averaged 17.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game at Life Center (N.J.) Academy last winter.
#45 BRIAN ROSS: The sophomore forward is averaging 7.1 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game ... He has scored in double figures in three games ... Most recently, he grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against St. Francis. Ross did not score against the Terriers, marking the first time in his 33-game collegiate career that he did not register a point ... He recorded eight points and a game-high eight rebounds at Holy Cross (Dec. 7) ... He netted 10 points (3-for-4 FG, 1-for-1 trey, 3-for-3 FT) in a season-high 32 minutes against Massachusetts ... Ross registered 14 points (6-for-10 FG) and eight rebounds against Vermont (Nov. 23). More Minutes: After playing 18.3 minutes per game in the first four games of the season, Ross' time has increased dramatically. In the last three contests, he's played 31.0 minutes per game (30 or more in each of the three).
MEDIA NOTES
ON RADIO: Boston College basketball games can be heard on SportsRadio 850 WEEI (AM), Boston's 50-thousand watt all-sports radio station. Ted Sarandis is in his fifth season as the voice of the basketball Eagles. The 1999-2000 campaign marks his 23rd season describing the bouncing ball. He holds the unique distinction of having called play-by-play for all four Division I institutions in Boston -- Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern -- as well as Holy Cross. In addition, the Boston native is host of the popular "Ted Nation" talk show, heard weeknights from 7 p.m.-midnight on SportsRadio 850 WEEI. Joining Sarandis is Bill Newell. Newell is in his third season with the basketball Eagles. He previously spent four seasons calling the action for the Boston College hockey team. Newell has also served as the play-by-play voice of Harvard football ... Many Boston College basketball games can also be heard on WZBC-FM (90.3), the student station.
ON THE WEB: All Boston College basketball games can also be heard on the Internet at www.bceagles.com.
TIMEOUT POLICY: The NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Rules Committees have developed a new media timeout rule for the 1999-2000 season. Under this policy, electronic media timeouts shall be called at the first dead ball after the 16:00, 12:00, 8:00 and 4:00 minutes marks in each half. Each of these timeouts will be 105 seconds in length ... In addition, each team/coach has five 30-second timeouts (only four may be carried over to the second half) in regulation play, plus one additional 30-second timeout per overtime period (only coaches may call timeouts in overtime, and only the first timeout called by a coach in each overtime period will become an electronic media timeout). Unused timeouts from the second half or earlier overtime periods may be carried over into subsequent sessions ... The electronic media is entitled to nine timeouts. The entity gains access to the ninth timeout when the first coach-called timeout is taken. The first timeout in the game called by a coach becomes an electronic media timeout, but does not replace one of the scheduled four in that half.
UP NEXT: BC will depart immediately after today's game for Puerto Rico. The Eagles play Tulsa in the first round of the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic on Dec. 21. BC will meet either UNC Charlotte or Illinois-Chicago in the second round.
OUR RECORD WHEN...
| BC shoots 50 percent or better: | 2-0 |
| BC shoots 40-49 percent: | 2-1 |
| BC shoots 30-39 percent: | 1-1 |
| BC shoots below 30 percent: | 0-0 |
| Opponent shoots 50 percent or better: | 0-1 |
| Opponent shoots 40-49 percent: | 2-1 |
| Opponent shoots 30-39 percent: | 3-0 |
| Opponent shoots below 30 percent: | 0-0 |
| BC shoots better from field | 4-0 |
| BC shoots same/worse from field | 1-2 |
| BC leads at half: | 5-0 |
| BC is tied at half: | 0-0 |
| BC is losing at half: | 0-2 |
| BC commits fewer turnovers: | 4-0 |
| BC commits more turnovers: | 1-2 |
| Turnovers are even | 0-0 |
| BC outrebounds opponent: | 4-1 |
| BC is outrebounded: | 1-1 |
| Rebounds are even | 0-0 |
| BC shoots 70 percent or better FT | 0-2 |
| BC hits more free throws | 5-2 |
| BC scores less than 50 points | 0-0 |
| BC scores 50-59 points | 1-1 |
| BC scores 60-69 points | 0-1 |
| BC scores 70-79 points | 1-0 |
| BC scores 80 or more points | 3-0 |
| Opponent scores less than 50 points | 1-0 |
| Opponent scores 50-59 points | 0-0 |
| Opponent scores 60-69 points | 4-0 |
| Opponent scores 70-79 points | 0-1 |
| Opponent scores 80 or more points | 0-1 |
| BC bench outscores opponent bench | 5-1 |
| Game is decided by 1-4 points | 0-0 |
| Game is decided by 5-10 points | 2-1 |
| Game is decided by 11 points or more | 3-1 |
| In overtime | 0-0 |
LEADING THE EAGLES...
Led team in scoring:Bell (6)
Walls (1)
Led team in rebounding:
Ross (4)
Walls (1)
Agbai (2)
Cotton (1)
Millar (1)
Double-Figure Rebounds:
Ross (1)
Double-Figure Scoring:
Bell (7)
Singletary (6)
Beerbohm (4)
Ross (3)
Agbai (2)
Walls (2)
Harley (1)
20+-point Games:
Bell (4)
Singletary (1)
Double-Doubles:
