Exciting Opportunity Awaits at Louisville

Joanna Bernabei-McNamee sat down at the end of the Syracuse game in December and remarked how she hoped people would see a different Boston College team in 2021. She loved her team's effort but wished the Eagles could turn the corner in key areas against opponents. Their near-miss against the Orange came one game after an upset bid against No. 3 NC State, but she saw the potential that just needed a spark after the holiday break.

A second loss to third-ranked NC State punctuated the start of the year, but the corner that looked turned against Notre Dame regressed on Sunday against Wake Forest. Playing without the team's typical depth at center, BC lost to the Demon Deacons on the road, 68-48.

"(Taylor Soule) and Jaelyn Batts can play big, but they're still small," Bernabei-McNamee said after the win over Notre Dame. "We have to be willing to sacrifice the sprinting into help and close really well. Some of Notre Dame's bigs liked to circle the perimeter, which helped us out, and Ally VanTimmeren was trying (to hang) in there."

The center position is one of the most critical pieces of BC's offense and a lynchpin for ball movement on the offensive end. There's a lockdown defensive component, but the person playing the middle is required to sprint between the painted areas in order to get out in transition. Offensive sets can then work inside-out in an attempt to move the ball into isolated high-percentage opportunities both in shooting and on the glass.

It was a spot understandably perfected by Emma Guy over the last two years, but BC readily answered the questions surrounding her graduation with both Clara Ford. She immediately splashed onto the ACC scene with 12 points against New Hampshire in the team's opening game before she scored 15 points and 16 rebounds for her first career double-double against UMass. Even in that game against Syracuse, which was a loss, she scored 19 points, and her per-game average more than tripled from her previous best from her freshman year.

She was backed up by Akunna Konkwo, whose physical presence extinguished doubts following her season-long injury last season. She averaged four points per game off the bench in seven appearances, but her eight rebounds against NC State established her reputation among the ACC ranks.

The depth was bolstered by the commitment of VanTimmeren, a four-star prospect ranked No. 17 nationally at her position. A 1,000-point scorer at Jenison High School in Michigan, the All-State First Team selection averaged 20.8 points as a junior and offered a three-deep rotation when she opted to matriculate early. She joined the Eagles around Christmas in order to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility offered in this year's COVID-impacted season.

"It's unique, but she's a unique young woman," Bernabei-McNamee said. "She exudes confidence, and she doesn't let the pressure of the game get to her. She's a coach's daughter, so her basketball IQ is through the roof. That's how she can pick up what we do so quickly."

Having the freshman on the roster ultimately proved prophetic. Konkwo went down after seven games with a non-COVID medical issue, and VanTimmeren debuted after the new year started against the Wolfpack. She scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in her debut in 17 minutes but was thrust into a featured role after Ford suffered a knee injury against the Fighting Irish.

"It's strange to me, too, and our players (because she's so young)," Bernabei-McNamee said. "It's a testament to our team that we brought her in and mothered her into the family. They spend extra time working with her on the plays and things like that. A lot of other teams might have jealousy, but our team is a group of great, young women who support each other and play for each other."

That story, though, papers over the fact that Ford's injury ultimately challenged the depth. VanTimmeren became the only healthy center on the roster, and it forced the coaching staff to get a little creative both during Notre Dame and before Wake Forest. They moved Soule, a true forward, to the center position and opened Batts into a heightened role.

It worked against the Fighting Irish when Soule's post presence created the game-winning shot by Cameron Swartz, but it struggled in the loss to Wake. Batts and Soule both only played 15 minutes due to foul trouble, and the latter fouled out with eight points and one rebound while Ford made a cameo appearance.

The Deacons scored 42 of their 68 points in the paint and turned 13 offensive rebounds into 19 second chance points. Ivana Raca had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and BC wasn't able to get to the free throw line with the same lethal efficiency as its previous games. The fast break, normally a primary part of the BC game plan, only posted two points, and 18 turnovers contributed to a six-point period in the second quarter.

Those numbers told a definitive story, but BC hopes it remains a one-time tale. After playing on adrenaline in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame, the Eagles settled into new roles for really the first time on Sunday with really only one day of preparation because of travel to Winston-Salem. This week will offer a different perspective with three days of preparation before a road game, even though that game is against a No. 1-caliber team at Louisville.

"I probably thank God every day I get to coach T-Soule and not against her," Bernabei-McNamee said after Notre Dame. "The big jump that she's made from last year to this year was her patience. She is very hard to guard, and when she gets the ball, she can take a deep breath and see what she has. When you have a quick first step, you want to rush into it, but she's learning to take her time."

Boston College and No. 2 Louisville tip off at 8 p.m. from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The game can be seen on ACC Network.

Exciting Opportunity Awaits at Louisville

Players Mentioned

Jaelyn Batts

Clara Ford

Emma Guy

Akunna Konkwo

Taylor Soule

Cameron Swartz

Ally VanTimmeren

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