Boston College @ North Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 5, 2019 ) North Carolina 79, Boston College 66

North Carolina has put together consecutive wins for the first time in ACC play this season, and it will try to continue to climb up the league ladder when it hosts Boston College on Saturday. In danger of recording their first sub-.500 conference record in 10 years after a 1-6 start, the Tar Heels picked up double-digit wins over Miami (Fla.) at home and North Carolina State on the road.

"We're not there yet, but we're getting there," junior forward Garrison Brooks told reporters after scoring 25 points in the 75-65 win over the rival Wolfpack on Monday. The squad would be a lot closer to getting to where it needs to be if star freshman Cole Anthony is able to return from knee surgery, which could happen soon. The Eagles are 1-5 in their last six games after falling 86-69 to No. 5 Louisville on Wednesday at home. Boston College led by as many as nine points in the first half before fading late to sink back below .500 on the season.

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

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (10-11, 4-6 ACC): Senior guard Derryck Thornton scored 17 points in Wednesday's loss and paces the team with 12.6 per game, just a tad better than freshman guard Jay Heath (12.4), who is averaging 15.3 over his last four games. They helped the Eagles put up 43 first-half points against the Cardinals, earning plenty of praise from Louisville head coach Chris Mack. "It looked like they were going a thousand miles an hour on offense," Mack told reporters. "They really put us on our heels."

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (10-10, 3-6): Brooks is averaging 15.6 points per game overall, 18.7 in ACC play and 21.7 over his last seven games, during which he has six double-doubles. Anthony, who averaged 19.1 points in nine games before going down, is more than six weeks into a recovery period that was projected to be 4-6 weeks, and he's itching to help out once cleared. "I'm having a little bit of pain, but it's making sure I'm 110 percent," Anthony told reporters this week. "I could easily say I might be in my 90s, maybe even 100 percent right now. But at this point while I'm out, I want to make sure everything's healthy. Make sure my ankles are good, make sure both my knees are good, just make sure that when I step on that court, I'm 100 percent confident in myself."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Tar Heels freshman F Armando Bacot has three double-doubles in his last four games.

2. Eagles junior F Steffon Mitchell has at least two steals in 10 straight games and leads the ACC with 2.4 per contest.

3. North Carolina has 12 straight wins in the series.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 78, Boston College 65