New Years Resolutions

New Years Day provides ample time for reflection, and many Americans enter the new year with aspirations of finding true love, getting organized, or becoming more fit. For Boston College Mens' Basketball Team, a number of issues deserve attention.

First of all, the team has rarely looked cohesive on defense. At many junctures, the inside players appear to be tripping over one another. This is most visible with Mr. Blair and Mr. Oates, who share a phobia of contact. Furthermore, you guys are big- learn how to box out...

Secondly, the team needs better on-the-court leadership. Jared Dudley and Sean Williams are great players, but they don't appear to command the same presence as their predecessors (most notably Craig Smith and Uka Agbai). Dudley and Williams need to show more urgency when the team is searching for a spark, and they need to make the players around them better.

Thirdly, game management needs to be improved. Louis Hinnant was, in my opinion, directly responsible for 70% of the close games that BC won during his time at four years. While Louis wasn't necessarily the one scoring all the baskets, he knew how to manage the clock to fight back and/or protect a lead in the final minutes of the game. Tyrese Rice and others have often appeared helpless when crucial decisions need to be made. Until his basketball IQ increases, Al needs to be more vocal from the bench (that includes calling a timeout once in a while).

Most of all, this years' team needs fire. They need to come out for every game ready to play, and they need to bury teammates in the first couple of minutes. Once a lead is established, they should not allow teams to constantly fight back. This isn't Mario Cart 64. Finish them!

The first game of 2007 allowed us to make good on some of these resolutions (team defense, balanced scoring, improved leadership). By the same token, it was the Yale Bulldogs, and a loss would have been tragic. The team allowed Yale to hang around for too long, and they allowed the Bulldogs to creep back into the game.

I don't want to over-analyze the team's performance until we see how the the game against NC State goes. A win is a win, and BC will need 10 or 11 in conference to have a shot at the Big Dance.