North Carolina @ Boston College preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 9, 2018 ) Boston College 66, North Carolina 96

Roy Williams is expected to be back on the sidelines Tuesday night guiding No. 3 North Carolina as it looks to stay alive in the race for the ACC regular-season crown with a visit to Boston College. The 68-year-old Williams collapsed late in the first half at Clemson on Saturday due to a bout of vertigo and did not return as the Tar Heels survived a tense finish to defeat the Tigers 81-79.

The emotional win allowed North Carolina to remain in a tie with Virginia atop the ACC entering Monday, although the Cavaliers own the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the one meeting with the Tar Heels. "We had to trust our trainers were going to take care of (Williams)," senior guard Cameron Johnson - who scored 19 points - told reporters. "We had to turn our attention to (assistant coach Steve Robinson) and try and get the win for him." Williams had a similar incident at Boston College in 2016 in one of North Carolina's 11 straight wins over the Eagles. Boston College enters this one after falling to 0-4 in overtime this season with an 81-78 setback at Georgia Tech on Sunday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Raycom Sports, ACC Network

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (24-5, 14-2 ACC): Johnson leads the Tar Heels in scoring (16.8) but freshman guard Coby White (16.4) is gaining fast with an average of 31 points over the last two games, making 12-of-22 from 3-point range in the process. Senior forward Luke Maye notched his 12th double-double with 13 points and 10 boards at Clemson and he pulled into Monday ranked second in the ACC in rebounding (10.0). Maye had 32 points and a career-high 18 rebounds in a 96-66 win over Boston College last season.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (14-14, 5-11): While the 0-4 mark in OT is frustrating, coach Jim Christian was more concerned with how his team began play at Georgia Tech, which finished the first half on a 27-12 run. "We lost the game in the first half," Christian told reporters. "We didn't play as hard as we should have in the first half. We gave up so many points on the offensive boards in the first half and on hustle plays. When you're on the road, it's tough to dig out of a hole like that." Junior forward Nik Popovic led the way with 24 points and nine rebounds while leading scorer Ky Bowman (19.2) was held to 13 points and is shooting 30.9 percent from the field over a six-game stretch.

TIP-INS

1. Eagles sophomore F Steffon Mitchell had eight points, 10 rebounds and a career high-tying seven assists Sunday.

2. Tar Heels senior G Kenny Williams is 0-for-14 from 3-point range over his last four games.

3. Boston College freshman G Wynston Tabbs (knee), who averages 13.9 points, has missed 11 straight games.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 84, Boston College 73