Recap: Boston College defeats UMass, 71-55

On Friday afternoon, the Boston College men’s basketball team faced off against the UMass Minutemen at TD Garden. The two 1-0 teams renewed a local rivalry on the Celtics’ home court, featuring a brand new coaching staff and roster for the Eagles.

BC was moving well and facilitating open shots to start the game, but their three-pointers were not falling. UMass meanwhile was pressuring the paint and got some nice cuts that gave them early success and a 14-6 lead after five minutes.

The Eagles kept with it, though, and their pace remained fast and free-flowing. They stopped settling for threes and Brandon Benjamin made an impact in the paint on both ends of the floor, scoring on two contested…