On Tuesday night, the Boston University men's basketball team will try to right the ship as they travel to Blacksburg to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Who: Virginia Tech Hokies (11-7) vs. Boston College Eagles (11-7)
where: Cassel Coliseum, Blacksburg, Virginia
when: Tuesday, January 23rd
Tip-off time: 9pm ET
How to watch: Tuesday's game will be broadcast live on the ACC Network.
How to follow: Check in and follow the game live on Twitter. @bc interrupted
BC's previous loss still feels fresh, as the #4 North Carolina Tarheels invaded Conte Forum on Saturday and won by 10 points. The Eagles played valiantly against the top teams in the ACC, but their lack of offensive ability ultimately cost them the game. They wrestled with that problem many times during the Earl Grant era. Despite BC getting off to a very hot start offensively this season, they faltered during conference play and have not exceeded 70 points in three of their past four games. Some of that can be attributed to the flu that spread among the team in January, but larger factors are also at play. When Quinten Post and Claudelle Harris have an off night, the Eagles really struggle to find scoring elsewhere.
Fortunately for them, defense is an issue for Virginia Tech. The Hokies have given up at least 70 points in five of their last seven ACC games, with only slow-paced Virginia (65) and basement-dwelling Louisville (68) falling short of that mark. As a result, the only games VT has won have been games in which it scored a lot of points (87 points vs. Clemson, 84 points vs. NC State) or games against last-place Louisville. They have a defense that ranks ninth in the ACC so far and are particularly lacking in paint defense, with only star center Lynn Kidd filling that rim protector role. The Eagles should be able to work the ball inside with Post, McGlockton and Aligbe to score on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech's offense is strong. They have many ways to break through opposing defenses both inside and outside the arc. The backcourt tandem of senior Sean Pedulla and junior Hunter Cattore is lethal from the 3-point range, and their slashing ability means they have big bodies inside and clean up on the glass. They are bolstered by senior center Lynn Kidd. Their main weakness is turnovers, giving opponents more than 14 free possessions every game, leading the ACC in this category. The key for BC will be to play really physical, especially against Pedulla, forcing them to make quick decisions and throw the ball into tight spots. With a good defensive guard like Jaden Zachary, they have the ability to do that.
prediction: Boston College 77 Virginia Tech 74
