NC State Revival

Carolina was Heaven for Sean Marshall today, as a 74-58 victory over the NC State Wolfpack allowed him to opportunistically raise a finger to his lips and silence the hometown crowd.

More silencing than his patented hand gesture was his play, as Sean dropped 23 on the Wolfpack (17 in the second half). Additionally, Sean pulled 14 rebounds, and answered whenever a NC State comeback looked viable.

BC held a commanding 50-27 lead when State went on a 15-3 run. 15 looked like it would become 17 before Marshall recovered and sacrificed his body (and his robust good looks) to draw a critical offensive foul. On the ensuing possession, Sean and his silencing act drained a three pointer to pull the Eagles out of their slumber.

It was disconcerting to watch as the Wolfpack began to sneak back into the game. Despite controlling the majority of the game, I wasn't satisfied until the final buzzer sounded. I have seen too many leads evaporate due to poor judgement and lackluster defense.

It was a strong showing from Dudley, Williams and Rice, who each made valuable contributions. Dudley quietly scored his 20, while Rice and Williams each brought showtime to the floor. At one point, Tyrese had the nerve to bounce one between a NC State defender's legs to Sean Marshall for an old fashioned three-point play.

Today's win was huge for the Eagles, whose 2-0 sets them aside Virginia Tech at the top of the ACC. VT took down Duke in an overtime thriller today. Once they went to extra minutes, I was convinced the Blue Devils had a victory at Cameron Indoor sealed. I guess that's why they play the game...

BC needed this decisive victory in the new year. The guys will enjoy a few extra days in the Carolina sun before returning to Chestnut Hill. The next few weeks will determine our season, and hopefully we can carry the momentum forward.