In its first season as a member of the ACC, Boston College fell just short of knocking off Duke in the conference's championship game.
After opening their conference schedule with three consecutive losses, the Eagles rebounded to win 11 of their last 13 ACC regular-season games before beating Maryland and North Carolina in the ACC Tournament. The newcomers then came within inches of winning the conference, but the Blue Devils escaped with a 78-76 win when Louis Hinnant missed a desperation three-point attempt.
Boston College now has its sights set on improving upon last season's runner-up performance and taking the ACC crown.
"This year we're trying to win it," senior Sean Marshall said. "Last year we came up a little short."
Head coach Al Skinner will return three starters from last year's squad but will be without first team All-ACC member Craig Smith.
The forward, who was a second-round draft pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves, led the Eagles in scoring and rebounding last season.
"[Craig Smith] was a very unique player," Skinner said. "I'm not really looking for any individual to step in and do what he did last year.... If you remember him, with his size, quickness and shooting touch-we're not going to try to replace that. We're going to have to do some different things to make us effective."
Much of the responsibility of filling the void left by Smith will fall on Marshall and fellow senior Jared Dudley.
Marshall scored 11.1 points per game for the second-consecutive season in the 2005-2006 campaign, and Skinner said that while he wants a repeat performance this year from Marshall, the guard needs to stay out of foul trouble for the Eagles to be successful.
Dudley has averaged more than 10 points per game in all three of his years at Boston College and comes into this season as the conference's third-leading scorer among returning players and as a member of the preseason All-ACC first team.
"I'm not looking for [Dudley] to do anything more, just do the same he did for us last season," Skinner said. "But that's going to be difficult for him since defenses will now focus in on him. If he can do that, then we'll be happy. Then it's up to everyone else to fulfill the roles that they need to."
The senior forward spent the summer practicing at the Michael Jordan Flight School and a Nike camp, and said that he is determined to be the best player in the conference this season while leading his team to the ACC title.
"I'm trying to be the best player in this conference," Dudley said. "I want us to win the conference. If I said anything less, I'd be lying to you."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.