Boston College heads back out on the road looking to steady itself against a Temple group that has opened the season with confidence. The Eagles face the Owls Saturday afternoon, hoping to regroup after a tough showing in the Veterans Classic. Temple is unbeaten at 3-0, carrying momentum from an emphatic win over La Salle and an earlier victory against Drexel. Both teams enter with early-season questions.
Who: Temple Owls (2-0, 0-0 ACC) vs. Boston College Eagles (1-1, 0-0 ACC)
When: Saturday, November 15, at 2 PM EST
Where: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA
How to watch: This game will be available on ACC Extra and ESPN+.
Boston College sits at 1-1 after falling to VCU in Annapolis, where the Rams controlled the afternoon from the early minutes. Donald Hand Jr. kept the Eagles afloat with a steady scoring night that included 17 points and eight rebounds. Roger McFarlane produced an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double, and Dion Brown added eight more, but BC struggled to match VCUs pace once the Rams created separation. A first-half stretch that pushed the deficit to 13 proved costly, as BC never rediscovered its footing after halftime.
The Eagles challenge now shifts to slowing a Temple attack that is thriving. The Owls handled La Salle with ease behind a breakout performance from Derrian Ford, who dropped 22 points and sparked a dominant second half. Aiden Tobiason added 16 points with strong work on the glass, and Jordan Mason chipped in 14 while shooting well in limited attempts. A quick run to open the final stretch helped Temple extend an already sizable lead and cruise through the closing minutes.
Temples production has been driven by its sophomores. Tobiason is averaging close to 19.5 points per game while shooting at an exceptional rate near 62 percent. His efficiency has allowed the Owls to settle in early during each of their opening wins. On the interior, Babatunde Durodola is securing about six rebounds per game, giving Temple stability when possessions stretch late in the shot clock.
Boston College counters with Hand Jr. carrying roughly 16.3 points per outing while also rebounding effectively from the guard spot. His ability to generate offense without forcing shots remains essential as BC looks for rhythm. Senior forward Aidan Shaw is providing about eight rebounds per game and has emerged as the groups most reliable interior presence. With both players pacing the early effort on the boards, BC will need strong minutes from its supporting cast to match Temples length.
Last seasons records add context. Temple finished 17-15 while dominating at home and limiting opponents to moderate shooting numbers. Boston College went 12-19 with road struggles that created inconsistency, though the Eagles often found offense through bench contributions and second-chance work. Those habits must translate here, especially if Temple heats up from the perimeter.
The all-time series sits even at 1-1 with each program winning once. The most recent meeting came on November 15, 2024, when BC edged Temple 72-69. Their first matchup was in March 2003 when Temple took a 75-62 decision.