After suffering its first true road loss in a blowout against No. 10 Virginia Tech, the Orange looks to rebound against a streaky Boston College team.
You never know what you’re going to get with the Eagles. Some games they genuinely look like an NCAA Tournament team. Other games, they look like they don’t even belong in the NIT conversation.
Currently, this BC team is mid-hot streak. The Eagles beat Wake Forest, thanks to an 11-2 run to close out the game, and then 11th ranked Florida State. Now, they return home to take on an Orange team that has played some of its best basketball on the road. Here are the five numbers you need to know.
73
That’s the number of inches Ky Bowman stands at, 6-foot-1. Even though he’s on the shorter side of guards, he plays way bigger than his frame. The junior is a football player by trade (he originally committed to UNC as a wide receiver and had an offer from Alabama) and likes to play above the rim. He’s the team’s leading rebounder at 8.1 per game, despite having three guys at 6-foot-10 or taller that receive significant minutes. That number also places him fifth in the conference. Bowman is also the leading scorer at 20.5 points per game, which is third in the conference.
5
This is the number that Wynston Tabbs wears. The twist? He’s going to miss his fourth game of the season against Syracuse with a nagging knee injury.
Boston College's Wynston Tabbs (knee) will not play tonight against Syracuse, per Jim Christian.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 30, 2019
That’s no good for the Eagles who are now down their second leading scorer at 13.9 points per game. Tabbs has been a revelation to the lineup in an effort to replace the production of Jerome Robinson, who left to go pro. He’s been the best freshman on a team that has a good blend of youthful talent and experienced stars.
11.3
Tabbs likely replacement is a guy whose name will ring a bell. Chris Herren Jr., son of former NBA player and current motivational speaker Chris Herren, is averaging 4.5 points per game. So why 11.3? Because that’s what Herren is averaging as a starter. The freshman walk-on earned a scholarship in December and has put in solid minutes for the Eagles as a spot starter.
15
Let’s continue with the Tabbs effect. 15 represents Bowman’s three-point percentage when Tabbs doesn’t play. He’s 3-for-20 from deep with the freshman sidelined. When Tabbs does play, he’s shooting 40.8 (40-for-98). Defenses key on Bowman on the perimeter when he doesn’t have Tabbs on the floor to pull away some of the defensive burden.
3
Don’t ever count Boston College out of a game. The Eagles have three comebacks of at least 10 or more points. They also have a number of games where they have come back, but ultimately run out of gas. BC came back to beat then No. 11 Florida State, DePaul and Milwaukee while trailing by double digits. Syracuse is going to have to give a full 40 minutes to close out the Eagles on the road.
