“This is our breakout year… We’re going to be top five in the ACC.”
This is what Boston College basketball player Donald Hand Jr. said at the 2025 ACC Tipoff in Charlotte, N.C. last week.
Unfortunately, BC’s men’s basketball team fell to the UConn Huskies 71-52 on Monday night at the Hall of Fame Exhibition game held at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
This was the first time the Eagles met the Huskies since 2013, when the Eagles also lost 72-70.
Returning guard Hand Jr. led the team across the board with 23 points, seven rebounds, and 12 free throws.
Though the Eagles held their own in the opening minutes of the first half, turnovers quickly became a problem. In the first half, the Eagles committed 12 turnovers which led to 19 of UConn’s 35 points.
The Eagles only managed to stay in the game due to UConn’s fouls, of which they had 12 in the first. BC was 10-16 in free throws, with 10 attempts from Hand Jr., who initially displayed some hesitancy in his shot but gained some more confidence as the game progressed.
The first ended with the Eagles trailing at 27-35. UConn had 9 offensive rebounds and only 4 turnovers.
At the start of the second, it appeared that the Eagles came back to life momentarily. Hand Jr. made 3-3 of his first FTs and with 14:42 left in the game, BC had its first lead of the night 38-37.
UConn responded with a 13-0 run and the Eagles never recovered. The Huskies made 9-9 FTs and had 18 points in the paint in the second. As the UConn-majority crowd cheered louder each time their team scored, BC lost its brief rhythm.
Regardless, the Eagles put up a fight—especially Hand Jr., who ended the game with blood, sweat, and tears on his jersey and a bandaid on his brow bone. BC may not be in the top five conversation yet, but one thing is for sure, they certainly want it.
Boston College officially opens its season on Monday, Nov. 3 at Florida Atlantic University.
Aspiring haunted house owner, ex-barista, and NYT mini crossword player.
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