College Sports
Money Williams took over for the Eagles, dropping 35 points in a 71-55 victory.
Boston College guard Money Williams drives to the basket against UMass forward Dwayne Wimbley Jr. and forward Abdullah Ahmed. Charles Krupa/AP Photo
Money Williams didn’t come off the floor for the first 39 minutes and 33 seconds Friday night at TD Garden.
There was no way Boston College coach Luke Murray could sub him out of the game. Maybe under different circumstances, but not the way he was playing, in this atmosphere, with in-state bragging rights on the line.
Boston College’s fearless lefty guard masterfully swerved past helpless UMass defenders all game, creating space in traffic, absorbing contact, and finishing at the rim with ease. He only turned the ball over once and committed just two fouls. He didn’t just look like he belonged. He looked like everyone else on the floor didn’t belong with him.
Williams erupted for 35 points (10-of-22 from the field, 13-of-13 from the line), 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. A kid from California made Massachusetts his state for the night.
Money Williams had the hot hand at TD Garden
The Boston College guard poured in a game-high 35 points to lead the Eagles past UMass, 71-55. He added nine rebounds and five assists while knocking down all 13 of his free throws.@BCMBB | @BCEagles | #ForBoston pic.twitter.com/UqqZcfW31e
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 6, 2026
Finally, after helping the Eagles secure a 71-55 victory, he exited the game with 27 seconds left, embraced Murray, and dapped up grateful teammates on the bench.
“Our guy Money led us down the stretch,” Murray said. “He made some big-time plays.”
Here are four takeaways from a memorable night that also featured a UConn-Michigan national championship game rematch.
Making his Money
They don’t call him Money for nothing.
Williams, a Montana transfer, was expected to be BC’s best player this season. What he did Friday, though, caught many people by surprise. His coach wasn’t one.
“Did I think he could do it? Yeah, I thought he could do it,” Murray said. “I’m not surprised.”
It became abundantly clear early on that the Eagles (2-0) were going to feed Williams until the Minutemen (1-1) figured out how to stop him. Ultimately, they never did.
Williams consistently went to his left hand and kissed home a steady stream of buckets. He helped BC respond from an early 14-6 deficit to take a 37-35 halftime advantage, then made winning plays late to help secure a solid win.
“It just shows the trust my team has in me,” Williams said. “I feed off that. It gives me confidence.”
Getting creative
While BC excelled in many areas Friday, 3-point shooting was, to put it lightly, not one of them. The Eagles shot just 11.1 percent (3 of 27) from distance, finding a bit of a rhythm late after starting a dreadful 1 for 22.
“We couldn’t hit the ocean,” said BC guard/forward Žak Smrekar (12 points). “Except for Money, of course.”
At the same time, Boston College deserves credit for finding other ways to score and staying afloat despite its woes in that area. BC finished 24-of-26 from the line and turned it over just four times, compared to 14 for UMass.
UMass forward Junjie Wang somehow just lost both of his shoes on one shot Had to play a full possession shoeless. Not sure I’ve ever seen that before.
Nothing better than some early afternoon hoops to kick off the weekend! pic.twitter.com/CefJ4jxykY
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) November 6, 2026
The Eagles also played excellent defense in the second half, limiting UMass to just 20 points after the break. Dwayne Wimbley Jr. finished with 15 for UMass, but no other player scored more than 12.
UMass coach Frank Martin credited BC forward Brandon Benjamin (10 points, 8 rebounds) and guard Armoni Zeigler for changing the complexion of the game.
“Disappointed, but we’ve got 29 more of these things,” Martin said.
Iconic place
BC and UMass used to play every year, then didn’t play at all from 2014 to 2025. The Minutemen prevailed last year to win their fourth straight in the series, but the Eagles snapped the skid Friday to take a 27-22 edge in the overall head-to-head battle.
“I know our administration and their administration are connected,” Martin said. “There’s no animosity there. We’re going to work hard to try to keep this game going, if possible.”
As for the atmosphere, Murray said he would love to play at TD Garden as much as possible moving forward.
“It’s an iconic place,” Murray said. “I think for Boston College fans, supporters, and alumni, it’s something they can get really excited about. I know our players were overwhelmed with the opportunity to play on this court and in this environment. So, absolutely. As much as we can possibly play here, we’d love to.”
It was a homecoming for UMass’ Jordan Clayton (West Medford), Rollie Castineyra (Marblehead), and BC’s Colby Duggan (Monson). Clayton said it “meant a lot” to play in a venue close to home that he attended as a fan for years.
Murray mania
Yes, Bill Murray was in attendance. This time, he sat courtside, in a white bucket hat, with the rest of Luke Murray’s family by his side.
Bill Murray was largely subdued but briefly bobbed his head when the song “Let’s Get Loud” blared over the loudspkears in the second half.
Luke Murray said UConn coach Dan Hurley’s wife, Andrea, gave Murray’s family the seats. Murray said he appreciated the gesture but acknowledged it was a bit “strange” to look directly to his right and see them.
“I didn’t necessarily know they were that close,” Murray said. “It certainly did not bring a calming influence.”
Martin, who goes way back with Bill Murray and knows Luke, said he used to run into Bill Murray at restaurants in Charleston when Martin was coaching at South Carolina.
“He grabbed me and said, ‘You’re one of my favorite coaches, but you’re mad too much,’” Martin said of a previous interaction. “Now we’re in the hallway, he said, ‘Remember what I was telling you? Now Luke’s in charge and he’s mad too much.’”
UConn pride
In the second game, UConn got a small form of redemption – OK, maybe not quite – after falling to Michigan in the title game a season ago.
The Huskies resembled a team fully capable of making another Final Four run, earning an 85-77 win in front of a UConn-heavy, packed crowd that grew louder and louder as the game progressed.
“We didn’t really talk about the things that went on in that game,” said UConn coach Dan Hurley. “We tried not to show pretty much any clips from that game. When you lose a game in the national championship and then you play a non-conference game in game two, there’s no get-back.”
Braylon Mullins led the way with 23 points, and Silas Demary Jr. contributed 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists to fuel the Huskies (2-0).
Trey McKenney Jr. paced the No. 16 Wolverines (1-1) with 22 and JP Estrella contributed 19 points and 9 rebounds.
“I think you saw two teams that are going to be a lot better teams down the road,” Hurley said.
Homecoming for Costello
Medford’s own Quinn Costello, a BC High, Newman School, and Middlesex Magic product, was the first player off the bench for the Wolverines.
He hit one 3-pointer, added a rebound, and finished a team-high plus-7 in 18 minutes.
“He was able to really stay present,” said Michigan teammate Roddy Gayle Jr. “He played great minutes. Shots weren’t falling, but it’s all in due time. I think Quinn is probably one of the better shooters in the country.”
McKenney said he is proud of Costello and that he brings a “big presence” to the team. Hurley, unprompted, praised Costello as well.
“I think Costello off the bench is a real weapon,” Hurley said. “He’s a freshman, playing back home, in a big spot versus a pretty good team. I think he’s going to be a really good bench player for them.”
Final thoughts
– A familiar face appeared on the Jumbotron during the first half Friday. Ray Allen, who of course starred for both the Huskies and Celtics, saluted the crowd.
– Duke legend and current TNT announcer Grant Hill was also shown on the Jumbotron, and the reaction was not quite as warm.
– Hurley is in midseason form. He had another classic interaction with a referee Friday night.
Don’t even need audio for a very funny Dan Hurley moment for that technical foul. Furiously pleads his innocence and asks who the foul is on. Watch his reaction when he’s told it’s Kimani Young: pic.twitter.com/iexWeq1W7T
— Jake Fenner (@jakefenner_) November 7, 2026
– It’s difficult to estimate crowd percentages, but baked on noise, it felt like 60 percent BC and 40 percent UMass in the first game, then 75 percent UConn and 25 percent Michigan in the second.
Trevor Hass is a sports producer who covers Boston’s professional teams. He also writes about Boston College football and high school sports for The Boston Globe.
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