Boston College @ Syracuse preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 30, 2019 ) Syracuse 77, Boston College 71

With a difficult stretch run on the horizon, Syracuse can ill afford a slip-up at home against Boston College in an ACC matchup Saturday afternoon. The Orange play four of their final seven games on the road and the three home games are against No. 17 Louisville, No. 2 Duke and No. 3 Virginia.

They had won five of six - including the stunning road win over the Blue Devils on Jan. 14 - before falling 80-62 to No. 24 Florida State on Tuesday in a game where energy may have been an issue. "They were ready to go, for sure," Syracuse sophomore forward Oshae Brissett told reporters of the Seminoles. "Guys came off the bench and were ready as well. They really didn't let up throughout the whole game. They came ready to punch us." The Eagles are one of five teams with just two wins in league play and have dropped three in a row, including a 77-71 setback against the Orange on Jan. 30 at home. They shot a season-low 35.7 percent from the floor in an 80-55 loss at Duke on Tuesday.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, Raycom

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (11-10, 2-7 ACC): Junior guard Ky Bowman ranks third in the ACC in scoring (20.3 points per game) after being held to a season low-tying 11 points on 5-of-17 shooting against the Blue Devils. Senior guard Jordan Chatman (14.0) had 16 points with zero rebounds and zero assists in 38 minutes. Freshman guard Wynston Tabbs, who ranks behind Bowman and Chatman in scoring (13.9), missed his fourth straight game due to a knee injury.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (16-7, 7-3): Junior guard Tyus Battle and Brissett combined for 39 points on 14-of-26 shooting in the loss to Florida State while their teammates were a collective 7-of-25 from the floor. Battle, who scored 31 points in the earlier win at Boston College, tops the squad in scoring (17.7) and junior forward Elijah Hughes (14.3) is second but has shot 12-of-44 over a four-game stretch. Freshman guard Buddy Boeheim hit 14-of-23 from 3-point range over a six-game span before missing all six of his long-range attempts against Florida State.

TIP-INS

1. Bowman has played every minute in the last seven games.

2. Orange senior G Frank Howard averaged 11.5 points over a span of eight games before being held scoreless against Florida State.

3. Syracuse has won seven of the last nine meetings.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 71, Boston College 62