Sim Series Games 1-5: What if Teddy Hawkins Never Tore His ACL?
We're using WhatIfSports.com to simulate the 2017-18 BC season to see if a healthy Eagles team could have made a run to the NCAA Tournament.
Series Note: Using the What If Sports engine, we are simulating BC’s 2017-18 season from the point where Deontae “Teddy” Hawkins tore his ACL. The Illinois State grad transfer will remain in the Eagles’ rotation the entire season, and we have set the target minutes for each player based on BC’s actual games with Hawkins in the lineup. We are releasing outcomes and recaps of BC’s simulate games (five at a time).
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When Boston College men’s basketball forward Teddy Hawkins tore his ACL against Nebraska in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the Illinois State grad transfer was one of only three ACC players averaging a double-double (13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game).
The 6-foot-8 stretch four jumpstarted the Eagles’ offense versus Sacred Heart, inspired a comeback against what would be an Elite Eight Texas Tech team, and racked up 19 points and 12 rebounds at Providence during his last full game in a BC uniform.
In this simulation, though, his college career extends far past Omaha, Neb. So let’s revisit that road game and put this experiment in motion.
Below are the results, box scores, and recaps for BC’s next five contests (if you missed our last post, click here to read what happened in the Eagles’ first seven games of the 2017-18 season).
How did BC fare? Read on to find out.
Nov. 29 @ Nebraska (Big Ten/ACC Challenge): BC 90, Nebraska 79.
Nebraska stormed out to a 7-0 lead, but Hawkins stopped the bleeding, and BC scored 12 of the game’s next 18 points. Thanks to two 3-pointers from both Jordan Chatman and Steffon Mitchell, as well as 13 points from Jerome Robinson in the final 9:04 of the period, the Eagles took a one-point lead into the half. The teams traded blows at the start of the second half, but eventually the Eagles pulled away. Robinson finished with 28 points and Hawkins logged his fourth consecutive double-double. Ky Bowman shot just 2-of-12 from the field, though.
BC’s Sim Record: 6-2
Dec. 2 @ Hartford: BC 94, Hartford 75.
Bowman and Nik Popovic teamed up for an early 10-0 run that gave the Eagles’ an 18-9 advantage, but J.R. Lynch—who finished with 17 points—rattled off nine straight points to keep the Hawks alive. That’s when Bowman and Robinson took over. The backcourt duo, which combined for 43 points, scored the Eagles’ next 20. BC entered the break with a 15-point lead, and Hartford never really recovered. It was a bounceback performance from Bowman, as the Havelock, N.C. native nearly registered a triple-double (21 points, eight assists, and 10 boards).
BC’s Sim Record: 7-2
Dec. 9 vs. No. 1 Duke (ACC Opener): BC 98, Duke 96 (OT)
BC was 2-20 against Duke all-time before pulling off one of the best upsets in school history on Dec. 9, 2017. The Eagles beat the odds in our simulation, too. Once again, the win came in thrilling fashion. BC didn’t hit 15 triples like it did in the real game, but the Eagles did shoot 10-of-24 from downtown, and Robinson came through in the clutch. BC jumped out to a 6-0 lead, only to then watch the undefeated Blue Devils string together 10 points in a row.
Duke improved upon its initial four-point advantage and went up double-digits. BC wasn’t going down easily, though. Jim Christian’s team closed the half with a 15-4 run. At intermission, Duke was up by just one point. The teams swapped baskets throughout the second period, although the Blue Devils—fueled by Marvin Bagley III’s 26 points—clung to their lead. Robinson used a pair of free throws and a tip-in to push BC ahead, 81-80. But a Trevon Duval 3-pointer silenced Conte. It was up to Bowman to tie or win the game—except his jumper missed badly. Mitchell bailed him out with an offensive board and a buzzer-beating jumper. To overtime, we go.
With 2:42 left in the extra frame, Robinson drained a 3-pointer, giving the Eagles a 90-89 lead, one that they would not relinquish. Barely. Duke trailed, 94-93, with 46 ticks remaining, and Gary Trent Jr. stole the ball from Robinson. Grayson Allen (25 points) was fouled on the ensuing possession and had a chance to take the lead at the charity stripe. That was, until he missed the front end of the 1-and-1. BC wrapped up the game at the line. Robinson, Popovic, and Hawkins all topped the 20-point mark in the monumental victory.
BC’s Sim Record: 8-2, 1-0 ACC
Dec. 12 vs. Columbia: BC 112, Columbia 103 (2OT)
Can someone say trap game? The Eagles found themselves in their first double overtime affair since Feb. 16, 2015. And it was against a Columbia team that finished the year 8-19. The Lions relied heavily on Quinton Adlesh in the first half to keep them afloat, and the sophomore guard delivered, scoring 18 points in the opening frame. Yet it was Mike Smith and Nate Hickman who starred in the second period. They combined for five 3-pointers and turned a three-point deficit into a two-possession lead with under two minutes remaining.
But Smith bricked on two potential game-winners, and Robinson forced overtime. Bowman played hero in the first extra frame, following up a Robinson 3-pointer with a triple of his own to close a six-point gap and tie the game at 96. Lukas Meisner missed the buzzer beater, and BC used a 7-0 run in the second overtime to distance itself from its Ivy League foe. Hawkins tallied a program record-breaking 22 rebounds in the win, and Robinson led all scorers with 32.
BC’s Sim Record: 9-2, 1-0 ACC
Dec. 17 vs. Central Connecticut State: BC 84, CCSU 78.
After back-to-back overtime wins, the Eagles got a bit of a breather. Bowman kickstarted a 33-9 first-half run with the first of his five 3-pointers on the day. The fiery point guard totaled 32 points, five assists, 10 rebounds, and four steals in 38 minutes of work. With a 42-17 advantage, it looked as if the Eagles were on their way to a blowout win. Slowly but surely, however, CCSU chipped away at the Eagles’ lead. The Blue Devils’ frontcourt pairing of Deion Bute (14 points) and Joe Hugley (18 points) piloted the comeback, which saw CCSU come within five points of BC. Yet, at that point, there were only 23 seconds left, and the Eagles iced the game at the line.
BC’s Sim Record: 10-2, 1-0 ACC
What’s Next?
Riding a five-game win streak, BC is off to its best start since 2010-11. But the Eagles have to be better than Steve Donahue’s 21-13 squad if they want to make the NCAA Tournament. BC has Richmond, Virginia, Clemson, Wake Forest, and North Carolina on tap.
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