Boston College @ Providence preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 23, 2016 ) Providence 67, Boston College 79

Providence will try to build off the momentum of a buzzer-beating victory when it puts a three-game winning streak on the line at home against former Big East rival Boston College on Saturday night. Kyron Cartwright's 3-pointer as time expired lifted the Friars to a 66-65 win over perennial Ohio Valley Conference power Belmont on Wednesday.

"What a game, what a game," a jubilant Providence coach Ed Cooley told reporters. "Magical things happen at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. That's one of the more magical moments in my college coaching career. Christmas came early for the Friars on this night. It just happened to be the night before Thanksgiving." Cartwright's 17 points led four players in double figures for the Friars, who were coming off a championship in the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Eagles have also been getting some stellar play of late from one of their star guards, as Jerome Robinson has scored 51 total points in wins over La Salle and Colgate, the latter of which required Boston College to rally from 17 points down to avoid the upset. "At the end of the day, it's a long season," coach Jim Christian told reporters. "You're going to play a lot of different games. It was great to see our heart and come back. Sometimes you have to win like this."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (5-1): Robinson's back-to-back solid outings - during which he is 17-of-27 from the floor and 8-of-11 from 3-point range - comes on the heels of a three-game slump in which he averaged 7.7 points on 25 percent shooting, and the junior standout has seemingly hit his stride. "It just feels like everything is coming your way - you're in a rhythm," he told the Boston Herald after recording 17 second-half points against Colgate. "You feel like no one's in front of you." Robinson leads the Eagles in scoring (15.3) while sophomore guard Ky Bowman is at 14.8 with a team-leading 5.8 assists after handing out eight versus the Raiders.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (4-1): Cartwright (11.6) is one of just two Friars scoring in double figures in a balanced offensive attack, with senior forward Rodney Bullock (12.4) leading the way. The game-winner against the Bruins gave Cartwright a 7-for-15 showing from behind the 3-point line this season, and Providence entered Friday's action third in the nation from beyond the arc (47.4 percent). Bullock also leads the team in rebounding at 6.4 and needs 19 points to become the 48th player in school history with 1,000.

TIP-INS

1. Robinson scored 21 points to lead the Eagles to a 79-67 win in last season's meeting at Boston College. Providence leads the all-time series 60-51.

2. Eagles F Deontae Hawkins has three double-doubles and is averaging 10 rebounds a game.

3. Friars G Jalen Lindsey is 9-for-17 from 3-point distance and 0-for-3 inside the arc.

PREDICTION: Providence 77, Boston College 72