Boston College Athletics
Top-Seeded Men's Basketball Prepares For Villanova
March 07, 2001 | Men's Basketball
March 7, 2001
After engineering the greatest turnaround in Big East history, Boston College coach Al Skinner hopes to lead his 10th-ranked Eagles to their first conference tournament title since 1997.
The top-seeded Eagles (23-4) begin that quest Thursday as they take on Villanova in a quarterfinal contest at Madison Square Garden.
Skinner was named Big East Coach of the Year on Wednesday after helping Boston College go from a league-worst 3-13 record last season to first place in the East Divison with a 13-3 mark in Big East play this season.
The Eagles appear primed for the challenge of emerging from New York with the conference crown after closing the regular season with four straight wins and getting five days rest before taking on the Wildcats (18-11).
"We want to make this season as special as we can," Boston College guard Troy Bell said after scoring 28 points in Saturday's season-ending triumph over West Virginia. "I think it'd be better to go into the (NCAA) tournament on a win (rather) than a loss. You always want that momentum."
Bell, who shared Big East Player of the Year honors with Notre Dame's Troy Murphy, and Skinner agree the Eagles are coming into the tournament on a high.
"This is a great way to go into the tournament and continue the championship drive," Skinner said. "There's no reason to go in any other direction."
Boston College has not advanced to the tournament semifinals since winning its only Big East championship in 1997. The Eagles beat the Wildcats in the title game that year.
The Eagles posted their first win at Villanova since 1993 with a 90-80 triumph on Jan. 27 and routed the Wildcats 89-74 at Chestnut Hill on Feb. 4. Bell averaged 25 points in those contests as Boston College completed its first season sweep of Villanova since 1992-93.
Michael Bradley scored 19 points to lead the Wildcats to an 82-71 first-round victory over West Virginia on Wednesday, marking the seventh straight year Villanova has won at least one game at the tournament.
Villanova won its lone Big East title in 1995.
The winner of this matchup plays either Georgetown or Seton Hall in the semifinals.
