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ACC Roundup - BC Finally Gets A Win, UNC Gets One On The Road

BC’s win was impressive even if Miami was not

By JD King
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: JAN 12 Miami at Boston College
CHESTNUT HILL, MA - JANUARY 12: Boston College guard Jay Heath (5) drives on Miami Hurricanes guard Harlond Beverly (5) during a game between the Boston College Eagles and the Miami Hurricanes on January 12, 2021, at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In Wednesday’s ACC Action, UNC nipped Syracuse 81-75 and Boston College broke through to beat Miami 82-64.

BC has been close a lot. The Eagles gave really good games to Villanova, St. John’s, Minnesota, NC State, Louisville, Duke and Virginia.

So we weren't really surprised that they won, but we were surprised that they won by 18. And it wasn’t like a kick at the end. BC was up 10 at the half and built a 25 point lead. The Eagles hit 18 threes out of 35 attempts (51.4 percent). Miami hit just two.

Rich Kelly is looking like he could be a pain in the butt. He hit 14 at Duke in the first half, scored 10 against UVA but shot 50 percent and then lit Miami up for 25 hitting 7-12 from three point range.

Jay Heath got 27 and Steffon Mitchell had 12.

Best of all to Jim Christian most likely were turnovers which have killed the Eagles this season. Against Miami?

Just eight.

They also nearly shut down the emerging Isaiah Wong, holding him to just six points.

Still no sight of Chris Lykes and Kameron McGusty also sat out as his hammy is still giving him trouble. Lykes could be back soon though. Deng Gak also sat out for undisclosed reasons.

After the game, Larranaga said “They just torched our backcourt like we weren’t there.”

Probably would have helped to have had Lykes and McGusty but you have to work with what you have.

Garrison Brooks, who was benched by Ol’ Roy Williams for several games, rejoined the starting lineup and he and Armando Bacot combined for 31 points and 22 boards.

For Syracuse, Joe Girard continues an uneven career. He can occasionally light it up but not here: he had just six.

Quincy Guerrier had 23 points and 11 boards. Buddy Boeheim had 18 and Alan Griffin had 16 points and seven rebounds.

Caleb Love is back into the starting lineup too but wasn’t very productive, at least not offensively.

UNC is a charter member of the ACC and the win over Syracuse marked its 1,000th ACC game. Time does march on.

Three games on Wednesday as Notre Dame visits Virginia, NC State jets down to Tallahassee to face FSU and Louisville visits a rapidly improving Wake Forest.

We’d still expect Louisville to beat the Deacs and Virginia to take the Irish. NC State vs. FSU? Very hard game to figure. If State cranks up the defense and forces Florida State into its traditional habit of turnovers, the Pack could pull it off.

If we were betting though we’d still take the ‘Noles.

Wednesday’s ACC Action

  • Notre Dame at Virginia || 4:30 || ACCN
  • NC State at Florida State || 6:30 || ACCN
  • Louisville at Wake Forest || 8:30 || ACCN
  • Pitt at Georgia Tech

ACC Standings

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