From the opening game to the next one, first-year coach Luke Murray saw great improvement from his Boston College team.
The Eagles (2-0) will look to continue that early-season trend when Maryland Eastern Shore (1-2) visits Chestnut Hill, Mass., on Tuesday for another nonconference game.
“I thought we took a big step forward (against UMass),” Murray said Friday after his team’s 71-55 win over the Minutemen at Boston’s TD Garden. “We got down early in the game and sort of settled ourselves, fought back. For the most part in the second half, I thought we controlled the game.”
Money Williams carried the Eagles against UMass, scoring a game-high 35 points — including a pair of clutch 3-pointers in the second half. He also went 13-for-13 at the foul line and recorded nine rebounds, five assists and a steal.
The Montana transfer is averaging an Atlantic Coast Conference-best 28.5 points per game.
Williams, the team’s primary ball handler, led an offense that committed just four turnovers after giving it away 11 times in last Tuesday’s season-opening win against Wagner.
“He made some terrific individual plays to sort of buoy us a little bit, and I think that gave confidence to some other guys on the team,” Murray said. “These are the sort of things that he does a lot of days in practice, but I’m incredibly encouraged to see it here.”
Zak Smrekar has been a double-figure scorer in both games. He had a 12-point, five-rebound performance against UMass, including eight points after halftime.
Maryland Eastern Shore is coming off an 81-55 win over Cheyney (Pa.) on Saturday and has turned its attention to a second ACC opponent in four games. Third-year coach Cleo Hill Jr.’s team fell 83-62 at Wake Forest and also lost by double digits to reigning Big South champion High Point last week.
Division II Virginia Union transfer Bobby Gardner leads the Hawks with 21.7 points per game, dropping a season-high 30 versus the Demon Deacons.
Gardner also was the team’s top performer against Cheyney, going for 29 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds. Saadiq Moore, a newcomer from Triton College of the NJCAA, had 18 points and six assists.
The Hawks were picked to finish last in the eight-team Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference after finishing 9-23 overall and 5-9 in conference play last season.
After the loss to Wake Forest, Hill said he saw potential from his team.
“We really have to execute on every possession from the start to the finish,” Hill said. “I think we showed that we can compete with a Power Four opponent, but to win these types of games, it is about attention to detail. Setting the screen to perfection, remaining locked in on defense throughout the shot clock, tracking down loose balls and really focusing on the small things will ultimately lead to a win.”
