The Hokies return home to face Boston College, as they look for their fifth ACC win on the season
The Virginia Tech Hokies (15-5, 4-4 ACC) return home after a road shellacking last Thursday at the hands of the ninth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels, to face-off against the Boston College Eagles (9-12, 2-6 ACC) at Cassell Coliseum on Sunday.
As displayed on what was an upset Saturday across the ACC, there are no easy games in conference play in this 2016-17 season. However, the match-up with the Eagles on Sunday is a game that the Hokies must win against an inferior opponent, especially considering the schedule ahead for Buzz Williams’ squad.
After Sunday’s game against Boston College, the Hokies play four out of their next five games on the road, a slate which includes two games against #12 Virginia (one home, one away), and a road tilt against #13 Louisville. The other two match-ups pit the Hokies on the road against Miami and Pittsburgh, which will not be easy games by any stretch of the imagination.
Taking care of home court is paramount, and it begins on Sunday by shutting down Boston College’s motor on offense, point guard Jerome Robinson. The sophomore guard has been one of the league’s most improved players this season, jumping up to 20.0 points per game, while averaging 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.
If it’s not Robinson doing the scoring, it’s his freshman backcourt running mate, Ky Bowman. Bowman has been one of the conference’s best first-year players this season, scoring 12.9 points per game to go along with 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
If Virginia Tech contain these two playmaking guards for Jim Christian’s much-improved Eagles team, they should be in very good shape on Sunday night to pick-up their fifth win of the ACC schedule.
On the Hokies front, they will look to continue to ride the hot offensive hand of Seth Allen. The senior guard is coming off of a 19-point effort in the loss against #9 North Carolina, and is averaging 17.3 points per game over his last four games. The Hokies are 2-2 in that span.
The Hokies and Eagles will tip at 6:30 on Sunday evening. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
