Georgia Tech @ Boston College preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 3, 2019 ) Boston College 78, Georgia Tech 81

Outmanned Boston College found a way Tuesday to upset defending national champion Virginia, and the Eagles look to carry that momentum into Saturday’s home matchup with Georgia Tech. Missing two of its top three scorers, Boston College used a combined 33 points from freshman guard Jay Heath and senior guard Jared Hamilton to beat the 18th-ranked Cavaliers 60-53, one week after the Eagles suffered a 39-point loss at second-ranked Duke.

“We just didn’t play well (against Duke) and it never stopped,” Boston College coach Jim Christian told reporters postgame. “Whether we won or lost this game, we improved (Tuesday). We played really, really well.” The Yellow Jackets enjoyed a big ACC victory of their own Saturday, dominating North Carolina in an impressive 96-83 road victory, and pushed Duke on Wednesday at home before fading down the stretch in a 73-64 defeat. Georgia Tech pulled within 66-64 with 3:11 to play but missed its final nine shots from the field. “All you can ask for is to give yourself a chance to win the game,” Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner told the media afterward. “We had some opportunities.”

TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: ACC Network

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (7-8, 2-3 ACC): Senior forward/center James Banks III dominated the interior against Duke, pulling down 15 rebounds and blocking seven shots along with scoring 14 points, and ranks in the top 10 nationally in blocks per game (3.07). Junior guard Jose Alvarado scored a team-high 18 points with five assists against Duke, and in six games since returning from a right ankle injury is averaging 12.7 points and 4.5 assists. Sophomore guard Michael Devoe leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring at 16.5 points and is shooting 41.8 percent from 3-point range after recording 12 points Wednesday.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (9-6, 3-1): With senior guard Derryck Thornton and his team-leading 13.3 points sidelined with an ankle injury, Heath scored 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the field (3-for-5 from 3-point range). Hamilton finished 5-for-8 from the field in scoring 16 points Tuesday, while junior forward Steffon Mitchell - who almost didn’t play due to flu-like symptoms - added 10 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Senior forward Nik Popovic, third on the team in scoring at 11.8 points, missed Tuesday’s game with a back injury.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Georgia Tech junior F Moses Wright registered his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday.

2. Mitchell leads the ACC in steals per game (2.4) and offensive rebounds per game (3.4).

3. After meeting the Yellow Jackets, the Eagles open a three-game road trip at Syracuse on Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Boston College 68, Georgia Tech 62