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Buckle up, Boston College will be one tough out tonight.
The Tar Heels have not lost their opening game of the ACC tournament since 2014, when as the fourth seed they were upset by Pitt at the Greensboro Coliseum, site of this year’s event.
BC is playing better basketball than a 16-16 team, having won four of its last five games, including an upset of sixth-ranked Virginia and beating Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. The old axiom is teams need at least a .500 record to be invited to the NIT, and the Eagles must upset UNC to reach that goal.
Despite playing without 7-foot center Quentin Post, BC ran away from last-place Louisville in the first round Tuesday by shooting 52 percent from the floor in the second half and completing a 40-29 drubbing of the Cardinals on the glass.
Post sprained his ankle in the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech, did not dress out for the Louisville game and is questionable for the 7 p.m. tipoff tonight. The Eagles had four players in double figures, led by Devin McGlockton’s 25 points and Jaeden Zackery, who had 15 points, 8 assists and zero turnovers. Carolina beat BC at home, 72-64, in their only meeting.
Considering it a must-win to keep both team’s NCAA or NIT hopes alive, this could be a very physical game, especially if Post plays. The Tar Heels are regarding this as a new start for a disappointing regular season and actually have a favorable draw to reach the championship game Saturday night, which might be enough to lock up an at-large NCAA bid.
The common theory is that having one game under your belt is an advantage, so the Eagles will be warmed up and ready to go after nine players saw action against Louisville. The Tar Heels cannot afford a slow start in the first game of a doubleheader, with N.C. State playing in the nightcap against Virginia Tech with two big rival fan bases pulling for a BC upset.
This is UNC’s fourth meeting with Boston College in the ACC tournament. The Eagles knocked out freshman Tyler Hansbrough in 2006 and lost the following year in Carolina’s run to the championship in Tampa.
Their last tourney match-up was in 2015, when the Heels won easily on their way to a close loss to Notre Dame in the Saturday night title game.
For the reasons already stated, the 2023 Heels better be ready for a scrap if they are to mount a desperately needed turnaround. Going from preseason No. 1 in the country to a quick ouster in Greensboro would be a disheartening follow-up to the magical 2022 post-season when they became the upset darlings of the Big Dance they are merely trying to reach this year.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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Agree Mr Chansky, nothing easy about BC, and they are a much better team now than earlier in the season.
OTOH, if we just shoot the ball reasonably well and play defense with the intensity we did against dook, we should win the game.
Done.
Fine game and effort by the Heels.