Madsen back firing for Eagles
Five months removed from labrum surgery, a rejuvenated Mason Madsen returned to Boston College practice in September eager to put his inconsistency from the year prior behind him.
He briefly felt like himself, however pain in his pubic bone persisted. An alltoo-familiar feeling of helplessness consumed him.
Madsen, a senior, underwent tests for six possible conditions, and the first five came back negative. Doctors told him they could be aggressive with injection therapy and try to medicate him through the year, but nothing could soften the unsettling feeling that his freshman season might end up as his best.
“I saw the light,” Madsen said. “I was like, ‘This is the end of my career.’ ”
But the sixth test came back positive: ankylosing spondylitis — a rare, lifelong auto-immune disease that causes inflammation in joints and ligaments. Madsen, an effervescent optimist who has a flowing “hippie” beard and occasionally references Chinese proverbs, chose to view it as a positive. Now he knew why he felt the way he did, and he could map out a plan of attack.
After receiving his first Humira shot this month, the sharpshooting Madsen has hit his stride for the surging Eagles (8-3). He scored 15 points against Central Connecticut State, 17 vs. Holy Cross, and 7 in a triumph over St. John’s on Sunday.
Madsen is shooting a career-best 45.2 percent from 3-point range after hitting just 30.3 percent a season ago. Averaging 6.4 points per game, his field goal percentage (.434), rebounds (3.3), and steals (0.8) are all career highs, as well. The 6-foot-4-inch, 200-pound guard from Rochester, Minn., is experiencing genuine giddiness, and a level of freedom that eluded him in recent years.
“I think it’s all working together,” Madsen said. “It feels like such a relief, man. I can’t overstate how important health is and how excited I am to show who I really am.”
Madsen, a twin, grew up around the game with his father, Luke, as a coach in Wisconsin. He and brother Gabe were always competitive, but it wasn’t until fifth grade, when the family moved to Guangzhou, China, that Madsen fully immersed himself in the sport.
During their boarding school’s twohour nap time, Madsen and his brother became antsy, so their mother, Jennifer, encouraged them to get outside and play basketball with their sister, Hattie. Fortunately, the school had 22 outdoor and two indoor courts, so it wasn’t difficult to find a spot to shoot.
The twins quickly realized they had found their niche. When they returned to Wisconsin the next year, the boys played travel basketball for their father. In 10th grade, they moved to Minnesota, where they wreaked havoc side by side at Mayo High School.
Madsen scored more than 2,000 points, and he came tantalizingly close to punctuating his career with a state title before COVID curbed the season.
“Obviously, I’m not the only person that dealt with that, but it’s my sob story,” Madsen said. “I never got that closure.”
The twins committed to the University of Cincinnati, but never overlapped during a game. Mason suffered a high ankle sprain, and Gabe struggled with the isolation during COVID and opted out before transferring to Utah. Madsen averaged 6.4 points as a freshman and 3.9 as a sophomore before entering the transfer portal.
BC assistant coach Anthony Goins discovered him while checking out another player. The Eagles needed shooting, and Madsen was considering a fresh start, so it worked out perfectly. He started his BC career in style, dropping 18 points and nailing a winning 3pointer in the final seconds.
Then, as the pain intensified, he started to lose what makes him sparkle. Madsen shot 25 percent in December and only scored in double figures once in the new year. He led the team with 40 3-pointers, but the Eagles finished last in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 188.
“Last year, he went through a season with pain every game, every practice, but he didn’t miss any games or any practices,” coach Earl Grant said. “I was very cognizant of the pain. We talked about it. He had a few shots, showed toughness, and played through it.”
After arthroscopic surgery in April, which left two small scars, Madsen couldn’t walk, couldn’t shower without assistance, and couldn’t attend class during finals.
“That was really hard,” Madsen said. “It’s kind of dehumanizing a little bit, when you have to go through that.”
After consulting specialists, Madsen worked his way back closer to full strength. He couldn’t play during the Europe trip in August, made some progress in September, then regressed.
“I was really discouraged,” Madsen said. “I didn’t know what to do. I felt so desperate.”
Once he got the life-changing diagnosis, he developed a blueprint with his doctors.
Madsen shot 3 for 5 from distance against Central Conn., 5 for 6 against Holy Cross, and 1 for 2 against St. John’s. Grant said Madsen’s dynamic play gives the Eagles a jolt. Madsen takes pride in his role as a floor spacer and decoy.
As humbling as the experience has been, Madsen views it as a blessing. He’s grateful to be back doing what he loves, at the level he expects from himself, and feeling better than he has in months.
“It’s taught me this sense of resilience, which I think will pay dividends in the long run,” Madsen said. “I just choose to believe that eventually things are going to work out. I think I’ll choose to believe that forever.”