Boston College Athletics
USC-Boston College Preview
March 17, 2001 | Men's Basketball
March 17, 2001
By the Associated Press
GAME: No. 6 USC (22-9) vs. No. 3 Boston College (24-4).
REGIONAL: East, second round.
TIME: Thursday, 5:30 p.m. EST.
SITE: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y
After averting a catastrophe in the opening round, Boston College knows it will need a stronger and more complete effort to get past Southern California in the second round of the East Regional.
Southern Utah nearly sent the Eagles home early on Thursday, but co-Big East player of the year Troy Bell scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half as Boston College held on for a 68-65 victory.
"Last year we lose a game like this," Bell admitted after watching Southern Utah's Justin Sant miss a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. "(Last year, we were) not mature enough, not patient enough. Now we are and we stepped up."
Eagles guard Xavier Singletary, who scored 15 points against Southern Utah, knows Boston College will have to be event better against the Trojans.
"We will have to become more patient," Singletary said. "We will need 40 minutes of effort and need to show more heart on the floor. USC is more athletic than the team we faced on Thursday."
The Eagles grabbed a season-high 57 rebounds against Southern Utah, something that is unlikely to happen against the Trojans, who boast a formidable frontline featuring center Brian Scalabrine and forwards David Blumenthal and Sam Clancy.
"USC can rebound," Eagles coach Al Skinner said. "They are very athletic. They have size and they do a fine job defensively. The size issue is not a new challenge for us. We faced two 6-10 kids (on Thursday). That has been a problem for us all year long."
"I wouldn't say we have a height advantage over Boston College," said the 6-9 Scalabrine, who will not have to deal with anyone bigger than 6-8 forward Uka Agbai in the Eagles' starting lineup. "We just present wider bodies. We are aware that they were successful on the boards against Southern Utah."
The Trojans smothered Oklahoma State in the opening round, running out to a commanding 48-19 halftime lead en route to an easy 69-54 triumph in their first NCAA tournament game since 1997.
Sam Clancy had 22 points and 13 rebounds and Jeff Trepagnier added 17 points as the Trojans advanced to the second round for the first time since 1992.
"It felt good to win in the NCAA tournament," Scalabrine said. "Like a favorite meal, you can never get enough of it."
Boston College, which went 11-19 last season, is also competing in its first NCAA tournament since 1997, when the Eagles were knocked out by St. Joseph's in the second round.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Southern California - F Clancy (17.2 ppg, 71. rpg), F Blumenthal (13.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg), C Scalabrine (15.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), G Brandon Glanville (13.5 ppg, 6.0 apg), G Trepagnier (7.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg). Boston College - F Kenny Walls (7.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg), F Kenny Harley (11.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg), F Uka Agbai (9.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), G Xavier Singletary (12.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.9 apg), G Troy Bell (19.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.5 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Southern California - At-large bid. Boston College - Automatic bid, Big East champion.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Southern California - 7-12, 11 years. Boston College - 17-12, 12 years.
