Thursday's four-game slate of NCAA Tournament first-round action at the Huntsman Center tips off with the Jesuit-sponsored Boston College facing the Lutheran-sponsored Valparaiso in the host city that houses the world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Holy basketball, Batman.But put all religion aside - and consider it perhaps fitting that local NCAA tournament action begins with No. 5 seed B.C. Eagles meeting the 12th-seeded Crusaders (Thursday's tipoff is scheduled for 12:42 p.m.)
You see, in some circles, the West Regional is seen as the weakest of the 16-team regional groups - Kentucky, Utah and Wake Forest notwithstanding. And some of these same critics pont to the Salt Lake City subregional as the weaker of the weak.
They say one needs to go no farther than Boston College (21-8 overall) and Valparaiso (24-6) to justify their claims. The Eagles seeded fifth - even though they didn't beat a ranked team during the regular season? And the Crusaders a 12 seed - in just their second spin in the Big Dance and after getting plastered 90-51 by oft-eliminated-early Arizona in last year's first round?
The two teams did earn their invitations by winning their respective conference tournaments and accompanying tournament berths. And both are on a late-season roll, winning eight of their past 10 games.
In B.C.'s case, the Eagles shared first-place regular-season honors in the Big East Conference and then went on to win the league tournament by downing once-powerhouse Georgetown in the semis and nationally ranked Villanova in the finals. But the Big East isn't quite the same
B-East it has been in recent years, with only four teams joining the 64-team NCAA field this year.
Some have suggested the fifth seed given to the 23rd-ranked Eagles may be a credit more to the Big East's reputation this season than Boston College's successes.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders claimed the Mid-Continent Conference regular-season crown and swept the conference tournament for the second straight season. And after receiving a 90-51 first-round drubbing in its inaugural NCAA appearance as a No. 14 seed, Valparaiso is back with a better record, experienced team and higher seeding.
"The loss to Arizona last year helped us win 24 games this year," said Crusader coach Homer Drew, who has a 121-136 record through 10 seasons.
In Valparaiso's case, better means bulked up, starting with 7-foot-0 junior center Antanas Vilcinskas and 6-5 senior forward Chris Artis average double-figure scoring and - along with fellow frontcourter Bill Jenkins - at least a half-dozen rebounds.
Bryce Drew, the coach's son, leads the Crusaders in scoring, with the 6-2 junior guard averaging 19.7 points a game. He's joined by 5-11 junior guard Jamie Sykes (8.6 ppg, 3.4 apg).
Battling them in the backcourt are the Boston College duo of Scoonie Penn and Duane Woodward. Both the 5-10 sophomore Penn and 6-3 junior Woodward average double figures in scoring, and the latter led the conference in assists a game at four. B.C. benefits from a quick, potent backcourt.
Boston's bruiser is 6-7 senior forward Danya Abrams, who scores at a clip of 16.8 points a game and accounts for 8.1 boards to boot. Also along the frontline are 6-6 junior forward Antonio Granger (10.3 ppg) and 6-9 junior center Mickey Curley (8.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg). The Eagles are coached by Jim O'Brien, in his 11th year with a 167-165 record.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Boston College
Seed: West, 5th
Record: 21-8. Last 10: 8-2.
Location, conference: Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Big East Conference.
Conference finish: Tied for first in Big East Six; won conference tournament.
NCAA tournament record: 15-11.
Last tournament appearance: 1996.
Coach: Jim O'Brien (11th season, 167-165).
Starters: F Antonio Granger, 6-6, Jr., 10.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg.; F Danya Abrams, 6-7, Sr., 16.8 ppg., 8.1 rpg.; C Mickey Curley, 6-9, Jr., 8.4 ppg., 5.2 rpg.; G Scoonie Penn, 5-10, So., 13.1 ppg., 3.1 rpg.; G Duane Woodward, 6-3, Jr., 10.3 ppg., 3.9 apg.
Key reserves: F Bevan Thomas, 6-8, Sr., 5.1 ppg., 2.3 rpg.; G Andy Bedard, 6-1, So., 4.9 ppg., 2.0 rpg.; F Keenan Jourdan, 6-7, Sr., 4.4 ppg., 3.7 rpg.; F Kostas Maglos, 6-10, So., 4.4 ppg., 3.1 rpg.
Key statistics: PPG.: 74.6; OPPG.: 69.7; FG.: 45.1 percent; OFG.: 42.6 percent; 3-PT.: 37.6 percent; FT.: 71.1 percent.
Scouting report: The Eagles didn't beat a ranked team in the regular season, but BC did have some quality wins, sweeping Syracuse and beating Georgetown. . . . Guard matchups can be problematic because the Eagles have speed but not a lot of height. That's one way Villanova exploited The Eagles in an 84-66 victory on Jan. 25. . . . Led by Granger, BC was on top of the Big East in three-point shooting, but was 11th in field-goal percentage defense. . . . The Eagles need big games from Abrams, who had double-doubles in two of his last four regular-season games. . . . Another key: BC has shot at least 30 free throws in nine games this season, and it won eight of them.