BC-Virginia Tech Basketball Preview
It’s a rare Wednesday night game this week for Boston College.
The Eagles head to Virginia Tech for a matchup with the Hokies tomorrow night in a rematch of the first meeting back on December 21. That night, the Eagles upset the visitors 70-65 in overtime when VT was ranked 21st in the country. Both teams have struggled this season, but VT (14-9, 4-8) has bounced back pretty well since that night, while BC (11-13, 5-8) has gone 4-7 since that victory.
Here are some things to watch for if BC is going to be able to sweep the Hokies this season…
TURN IT INTO THE POST SHOW
I mean, technically I could start every preview by saying let Quinten Post feast since he’s BC’s most important player, but considering he didn’t play in the first meeting, now the Eagles should really try to make him the focal point of the offense. Earl Grant talked about Post’s aggressiveness when he matched up with old friend Jesse Edwards in the Syracuse matchup, and Edwards ended up taking that one pretty decisively. Hopefully, you get an angry Post and he takes it out on VT. The Hokies outscored BC in the paint 42-36 despite losing, the Eagles probably won’t win again if that number holds up.
STOP JACKING UP SO MANY 3’S
BC put up an outrageous 35 three pointers against the Orange and only hit 11 of them. This is not a very good shooting team. Therefore, the message should be simple: STOP TAKING SO MANY. In the first meeting with VT, BC shot 40% from the field (29-27) and 15.8% from beyond the arc (3-19). There is no way those numbers can repeat themselves and the Eagles can come out on top. Better looks inside and timely threes are really the only way BC can stay in games offensively.
CAN THE BENCH DO IT AGAIN?
The Eagles got 30 bench points in the first meeting (including 18 from Devin McGlockton) while Virginia Tech had just one. With so much fluctuation in the BC lineup seemingly every night, the Eagles are one of those teams that always needs bench production if they’re going to win games. It’s hard to believe you’ll get a 30-1 discrepancy again, but if BC can win the bench battle they can win the game.
CAN MAKAI CARRY THE LOAD?
In the first meeting it was the Makai Ashton-Langford show. Ashton-Langford had 21 points - including some daggers late in the overtime - and seven rebounds. While the offense should run through Post, BC could use another big game from their best offensive player.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Again, this is one of those “keys to the game” that could literally be put in every single preview, but it matters a little more to BC. The pattern has been well established now, when BC takes care of the ball, they’re usually in the game or victorious. When they don’t, it gets ugly, teams make runs and before you know it the Eagles have list by 15. In the first meeting, the Eagles turned it over nine times - which is pretty good for them - while VT had 15. That happens again, it’s hard to imagine BC losing.
WIN THE SECOND HALF
Lastly, BC has been good in the second half of games they’ve won this season. The Eagles outscored the Hokies 34-29 in the first half and dominated overtime 11-6 when the teams played at Conte Forum. As long as BC doesn’t hurt itself in the first half and there isn’t too big of a hole to dig out of, I think they've got a good shot.