Wake Forest @ Boston College preview

Wake Forest at Boston College

Last Meeting ( Jan 19, 2020 ) Boston College 62, Wake Forest 80

Wake Forest figures the time off might have been good. Boston College can use the game time, though a fuller roster would help.

The teams meet Wednesday night in Chestnut Hill, Mass., in a quest to stay out of the Atlantic Coast Conference basement.

Wake Forest (5-8, 2-8 ACC) had the weekend off -- as scheduled -- so it enters the game without having played since a loss at Notre Dame on Feb. 2.

"We needed some time to work on us," Demon Deacons coach Steve Forbes said. "We really haven't had any time."

Boston College (3-11, 1-7) hopes to have more players back in action after suiting up just four scholarship players in Saturday's 81-65 home loss to North Carolina State. For BC, the outing ended a three-week hiatus related to coronavirus protocols.

"Timing, things like that, I knew would be a problem," Boston College coach Jim Christian said. "Now we have to keep getting healthy and keep getting better."

Getting back to game action has been important for the Eagles even though it hasn't come in an ideal situation.

"Games are different. The conditioning you need to play games is different," Christian said. "It's hard times for everybody. Not just our team. It's a wait-and-see approach with every game."

Five Boston College games were postponed during the team's break. When the Eagles played Saturday, they were without second-leading scorer Wynston Tabbs and starter Makai Ashton-Langford, among others.

The Eagles didn't have a point from any player off the bench in the first 38 minutes vs. NC State. Christian said he was proud of how the available players -- a group consisting of several walk-ons -- competed.

"I don't think it's a motivational thing," he said. "Kids love to play."

Boston College's Jay Heath has reached the 20-point mark three times this season.

Wake Forest, winless on the road this season, expects to have guard Ian DuBose back for his first game action since November. Forbes said his court time will be closely monitored.

The Demon Deacons committed a season-low six turnovers in the Notre Dame game for their fewest giveaways in nearly three years. Otherwise, it was largely a forgettable performance.

Forbes said he planned to use the latest layoff to straighten out certain areas.

"We don't have people buying into defending to get going," Forbes said. "That's on me, and I have to find a way to make it better."

--Field Level Media