Bay Area Battle: Eagles Take on Stanford on Wednesday Night

BOSTON COLLEGE VS. STANFORD - ALL-TIME SERIES

Today's game marks the second meeting between the two schools.
Boston College won the lone previous meeting, 97-89, on Dec. 22, 1979 as part of the Industrial Bank Classic in Providence, R.I.

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREE; HAND WINS THIRD POTW

On Feb. 24, Donald Hand Jr. earned his third ACC Player of the Week honor of the season. He won it previously on Dec. 30 and Feb. 3.
Only Hand, Maxime Raynaud (Stanford), and Cooper Flagg (Duke) have won ACC Player of the Week at least three times.
Hand averaged 18.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in a 2-0 week.
He joins Jared Dudley as the only other BC player to garner ACC weekly conference honors three times in the same season.
In 2006-07, Dudley earned the conference's top weekly player award on three occasions en route to being named ACC Player of the Year.
Against Georgia Tech, Hand led all scorers with his ninth 20-point game of the season; he is one of eight ACC players to have at least nine 20-point performances in 2024-25.
Versus Virginia Tech on Feb. 18, Hand scored 16 points, as BC set a program record for lowest points allowed by an ACC foe (36).
Earlier this season on Dec. 30, history was made as Hand and his father became the first father-son duo to each earn ACC Player of the Week honors in their respective careers. Donald Hand Sr. was the recipient of the ACC's top weekly player award on Jan. 31, 2000 while starring at Virginia. The conference began its weekly awards program during the 1972-73 season.
Since BC joined the ACC prior to the 2005-06 season, an Eagle has been selected ACC Player of the Week on 20 occasions, with 10 different players having captured the award at least once.

HIGH-PERCENTAGE VENNING

Over his last 14 games, Chad Venning is averaging just under 15.0 ppg and connecting on better than 56% from the floor.
He poured in a season-high 21 points - two off his career-best - against Notre Dame on Feb. 12.
On Jan. 25, he scored 17 points (7-12 FG) in 30 minutes at UNC.
Twice he's scored 19 points - vs. #3/3 Duke and at Georgia Tech. He added 17 points at UNC and at home vs. Syracuse.
In the comeback win over Miami, Venning tallied 17 points (7-10), scoring 11 straight points for the Eagles in the first half.
Overall this season, Venning has reached double-digits in the scoring column on eight occasions.
For the season, Venning ranks second in the ACC in overall field goal percentage (.544).
Venning's .539 field goal percentage mark in ACC play is fifth-best in the league.

TODAY'S BOSTON COLLEGE NOTE(S) YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

Last time out against Georgia Tech, Chad Venning registered 10 deflections - a season-high by any BC player this season.
Over the last 100 minutes of play, the Eagles have dished out 34 assists to only 19 turnovers - a 1.78:1 assist/turnover rate.

ON THIS DATE: FEBRUARY 26

Boston College is 9-12 all-time - and 1-4 in ACC play - in games played on the February 26 calendar date.
February 26 marks the celebration of National Pistachio Day.
Several notable events in history occurred on February 26 - 1616 - Roman Inquisition demands that Galileo abandon heliocentrism; 1914 - sister ship to Titanic - HMHS Brittanic - launched in Belfast (it sunk in 1916); 1919 - Grand Canyon National Park established; 1929 - Grand Teton National Park established; 1930 - the first traffic lights were installed in Manhattan; 1933 - construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge; 1983 - Michael Jackson's "Thriller" goes #1 and stays there for 37 weeks.
Notable February 26 birthdays: singer Johnny Cash; author Victor Hugo. singer/songwriter Erykah Badu; clothing magnate Levi Strauss; actor Jackie Gleason; R&B pioneer Fats Domino.

DONALD HAND JR. - YEAR-OVER-YEAR IMPROVEMENTS

Donald Hand Jr. has shown a major statistical leap from a season ago and ranks third among all ACC players in scoring average increase.
Hand is averaging nearly +12 more points per game and nearly a +5.0 jump in rebounding per game this season, compared to 2023-24.
Using the metric PAR (points+assists+rebounds), he has seen nearly a +17 jump year-over-year and a +9.1 increase when measured per 40 minutes.
Hand has already surpassed his 2023-24 totals in points, rebounds, assists.
After a season-ending injury in game two as a true freshman, his first significant playing time came during the 2023-24 season.
Hand was named ACC Player of the Week twice this season (Dec. 30; Feb. 3).

DEFENSE MECHANISM

Over the last two games, Boston College has held its opponents to 45.0 points per game and 33-of-107 shooting (30.8%).
It marked the first time since the 2022-23 season that BC held back-to-back opponents under 55 points.
That season, on Nov. 21, 2022 BC held Wyoming to 48 points and next limited Rhode Island to 49 points on Nov. 27, 2022.
Last time out, the Eagles held Georgia Tech to 54 points - more than 20 points under its season average and more than 30 fewer than they scored in the first regular season matchup.
The stifling BC defense held the Yellow Jackets to 32.1% shooting (18-56), including 5-of-23 from the perimeter.
On Feb. 18, Boston College held Virginia Tech to a record-low point total - 36 points - in a 54-36 home win.
The 36 points marked the lowest point total by an ACC opponent since Boston College joined the league at the start of the 2005-06 season (previous - 44 vs. Virginia on Feb. 26, 2011).
BC's 36 points allowed ranks as the lowest scoring defensive point total by any ACC team this season and ranks as the fifth-lowest defensive scoring mark in an ACC game since 1996-97 (10 total games during that span).
It ranks as the third-lowest single-game point total by an opponent in Conte Forum history (building opened in 1988-89): 32 - NJIT (Jan. 5, 2010); 33 - High Point (Nov. 13, 2019); 36 - Virginia Tech (Feb. 18, 2015).
It tied for the fourth-lowest point total by an opponent in BC history, dating back to the restart of the program in 1945-46
Dating back to 1945-46, it marked only the 13th time in program history that BC held an opponent under 40 points.
BC held VT to its lowest single-half point total (11) since Jan. 12, 1935, when the Hokies scored nine points vs. UNC.

DONALD THE HOT HAND OVER THE LAST EIGHT

Over his last eight games, Donald Hand Jr. has scored 179 points (22.4 ppg average) with 56 field goals (30 3FG).
Included in that span was a career-high 31 points in a comeback win over Florida State.
Over the last 25 years, seven Boston College players have scored that many points over a eight-game span.
The last to do so was Ky Bowman, who scored 183 points between Dec. 31, 2018-Jan. 30, 2019 as a junior.
Four former Eagles surpassed the 200-point mark over an eight-game span. Most recently, Jerome Robinson tallied 222 points between Jan. 21-Feb. 17, 2018; Olivier Hanlan (220) between Feb. 4-28, 2015; Tyrese Rice (205) between Feb. 9-March 8, 2008; Craig Smith (206) between Dec. 15, 202-Jan. 19, 2003.
Troy Bell scored 255 points for an eight-game stretch between Feb. 5-March 4, 2003.

EAGLES AMONG THE ACC / NCAA LEADERS

ACC Overall: Donald Hand Jr. ranks eighth in scoring (16.6), 16th in rebounding (6.3) and fourth in FT percentage (.865).
Hand is one of four players to rank in the top 20 in scoring and rebounding in the conference.
Malique Ewin (FSU), Maxime Raynaud (Stanford) and Cooper Flagg (Duke) are the others.
Hand also ranks fifth in the ACC in 3-pointers made, averaging 2.3 3FGM per game. (64 total).
Chad Venning sits in second in the ACC - and 53rd nationally - in field goal percentage, connecting on 54.4% of his shots.
Venning is also fourth in the ACC in blocked shots - 70th nationally - averaging 1.58 swats per outing.
Jayden Hastings is eighth in the ACC in blocks, swatting 1.26 shots per game so far this season.
As a team, BC ranks 99th nationally - and eighth in the ACC - in 3-point field goal percentage (.354).
The Eagles are third in the ACC - and 88th in the country - in blocks per game (4.0).
ACC games only: Hand ranks seventh in scoring (17.8 ppg), third in 3-point field goal percentage (.411), fourth in 3-pointers made (2.9/game), and 14th in free throw percentage (.835).
Venning is fifth among all players in ACC play in field goal percentage (.549) and fifth in blocked shots (1.4)
Joshua Beadle's 1.60:1 assist/turnover mark is tied for 14th-best in ACC play.
Jayden Hastings is tied for sixth in blocked shots in ACC games, swatting 1.38 shots per game.

THE 60 POINT MARK

Four times this season - and in each of the last two outings - Boston College has held its opponents under 60 points.
BC has captured its last 18 games, including its last seven non-conference matchups, when holding opponents to 60 or fewer.
Under Earl Grant, the Eagles are 23-2 when keeping their opponents at 60 or less on the scoreboard.

HASTINGS MAKING AN IMPACT

Redshirt freshman Jayden Hastings has steadily improved throughout his first season of college basketball.
Hastings has 11 games with at least two blocked shots - the most by a BC freshman since Sean Williams posted 16 multi-block games during his freshman campaign in 2004-05.
Against Virginia Tech, Hastings was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor, good for eight points, five boards, and two blocks.
As a starter (3G), Hastings is averaging 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 blocks while shooting 64.3% from the floor.
In his first collegiate start on Dec. 21 against SMU, Hastings scored a season-high nine points in 29 minutes played.
Against Louisville on Feb. 5, Hastings tied his season-best with nine boards and logged two blocked shots.
For the season overall Hastings is connecting on 58.1% from the floor and has logged 34 total blocked shots.

GET THAT UP OUTTA HERE!

Chad Venning has registered at least four blocked shots in a game on four occasions - most by any ACC player this season.
In total - among all major conference players - Venning and 12 others have at least four games with four blocked shots.
Ryan Kalkenbrenner (Creighton) and Jayden Quaintence (Arizona State) are tied for first, with eight games.

I'VE GOT SIX ON IT

Roger McFarlane has grabbed at least six rebounds in 33 of his last 49 games played, dating back to Dec. 16, 2023.
He has had at least six rebounds in 72 of his 118 career games - better than 60% of his games played.
McFarlane has grabbed at least six boards in 10 games this season; BC is 7-3 in those games.
The 6-4 guard ranks second on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.0 boards per outing.

BRINGING THE BOOM

Boston College has registered 10 or more 3-pointers on nine occasions, including a season-high 14 at North Carolina.
Through 27 games this season, the Eagles have made 184 3-pointers at a 35.2% clip.
The 35.4% 3-point proficiency mark ranks eighth in the ACC and 99th nationally.
In ACC play, Boston College has connected on 37.3% of its long-distance attempts - fourth-best in the league.
Donald Hand Jr. leads BC with 64 3FGM at a 38.8% clip; Joshua Beadle (51.5%) leads the team in percentage.

Bay Area Battle: Eagles Take on Stanford on Wednesday Night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Joshua Beadle

Donald Hand Jr.

Jayden Hastings

Roger McFarlane

Chad Venning

Bay Area Battle: Eagles Take on Stanford on Wednesday Night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Joshua Beadle

Donald Hand Jr.

Jayden Hastings

Roger McFarlane

Chad Venning

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