Syracuse at BC Game Preview
Courtesy of Boston College Athletics Department
Boston College welcomes Syracuse to Conte Forum on Sunday, February 14 for a 1 p.m. tip. The game will be televised by ACC Network/TV38 and can be heard on the radio on WEEI 850 AM with Jon Meterparel and Danya Abrams on the call
Boston College has lost its first 11 conference matchups. It nearly knocked off No. 9 North Carolina on Tuesday night but lost, 68-65. Syracuse are winners of four straight, most recently beating Florida State at home on Thursday, 85-72. The Orange won the first meeting this season a month ago in Syracuse, 62-40, and have won each of the last three matchups.
LAST TIME vs. SYRACUSE
Graduate student Eli Carter led Boston College with 13 points as the Eagles lost at Syracuse on January 13, 62-40. Boston College led early, 11-9, but Syracuse scored 14 unanswered points over six minutes to take a 23-11 lead with 4:15 left in the half. The Orange finished the first half on a 21-4 run to take a 30-15 lead at the break.
BC started the second half on a 13-5 run to cut the deficit to 35-28, forcing Syracuse to take a timeout. Carter had five of the points in the run and capped it with a 3-pointer. Syracuse responded with an 18-3 run to maintain control of the game at 53-31 with 6:54 left.
EAGLES NEARLY BEAT No. 9 NORTH CAROLINA
Senior Dennis Clifford recorded his second career double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, but No. 9 North Carolina escaped with a 68-65 victory on Tuesday night at Conte Forum. His 13 boards were a career high. He was 6-for-10 from the field. Graduate student Eli Carter scored a game-high 26 points while adding four assists. Junior Garland Owens and freshman Ervins Meznieks both had nine points.
Boston College started the game with a 13-4 run in the first 5:40. Clifford had six of those points while Carter had five. The Eagles' lead stayed at nine until it was 25-16, then North Carolina rattled off seven-straight points to cut it to 25-23 with 6:48 remaining. BC scored the final five points of the half to take a 37-31 halftime lead. The Eagles led, 56-49, but UNC went on a 10-1 run to take a 59-57 lead with 3:18 remaining. A Carter 3-pointer gave BC the lead back, but the Tar Heels scored the next five points to build a 64-60 lead with 47 seconds left. Marcus Paige hit a pair of free throws for the 68-65 lead and a Carter half-court shot was wide at the buzzer.
Injuries and Other Notes:
A.J. Turner will not play due to his high-ankle sprain. The Eagles second leading scorer Jerome Robinson is still out because of the fractured wrist he suffered against FSU.
BC is hosting 2016 forward prospect Mfiondu Kabengele on an official visit this weekend. He will be in attendance at the game. He is the 6-foot-9 nephew of former NBA shot blocking great Dikembe Mutombo that holds offers from Florida State, Georgia, and BC among many others.