Boston College vs. Columbia: Preview and Prediction
Boston College (3-3) returns home on Friday to face Columbia (2-3), the Eagles second game against an Ivy League opponent this season. Earl Grant's squad is looking to pick themselves back up after losing three in a row, including two games in the Sunshine Slam.
Time: 2:00 pm
Where: Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, MA
TV: ACC Network Extra
Radio: WEEI 850
Current Line: Boston College (-18.0), per SI Sportsbook
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Boston College has a 94.1% chance of winning this game
Ken Pom Ratings: Boston College (130) Columbia (337)
Projected Staters: Makai Ashton Langford, Demarr Langford, TJ Bickerstaff, James Karnik, Jaeden Zackery
Series History: Boston College is 3-0 all time against Columbia, most recently playing in 2018, a game the Eagles won 82-73
Injury Updates: Brevin Galloway (knee) will be a gametime decision.
Name to Watch: Geronimo Rubio de La Rosa. Guard. The Lions' leading scorer, Rubio De La Rosa a freshman, has dropped twenty plus points twice so far this season, also a solid outside shooter, hitting 43% from beyond the arc.
Key Statistic: Boston College is connecting on 38.1% of its 3-point attempts (32-84) through its first six games. This is the highest percentage BC has shot since 2003-04
Three Questions Heading Into This Game:
1. Can the Eagles rebound? After dropping their last three games to better opponents (albeit it, URI twice), BC gets another team they should be able to get back on track against. Earl Grant so far has taken care of business against teams like Columbia, but it is worth seeing if BC can do it after three straight losses.
2. Will Demarr Langford return to dominance? Of anyone who is glad to get away from playing the Rhode Island Rams, it has to be Langford. The Rams stifled him in both of their matchups, forcing him to shoot 30% and 12% in the two games. He needs to get back into the flow of games, where he goes this team goes.
3. Can the Eagles get the offense going again? Over the past three games we have seen a variety of players step up to be the go to scorer. Jaeden Zackery, James Karnik and TJ Bickerstaff have all had big games. But it hasn't been consistent. When one starter has a big night it seems the other four struggle. Improvement is what we are hoping for all season, today's game should be a great check to see if this team is starting to make those adjustments.
AJ's Fearless Prediction: The Columbia Lions should be just what the doctor ordered to fix BC's ills. As long as the team continues to buy into Earl Grant's message, and it sounds like they are, they should grab a nice easy win. Boston College 74 Columbia 55
Join our forum to talk BC football, basketball, hockey and recruiting! Become part of our BC Bulletin message board and forum. It is a free way to comment on our posts, and interact with other Boston College fans and alumni. Make sure to sign up and become a member. Click here to join today!
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook and following on us on Twitter.
Facebook- BostonCollegeSI
Twitter: @BulletinBC, @AJBlack_BC
Editor and publisher of BC Bulletin. '06 graduate of Boston College, who has followed the program as long as he can remember. Has been covering the Eagles for the past nine years, giving expert analysis, recruiting news and breakdowns. Also the host of Locked on Boston College, a daily BC podcast that is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. When he is not writing or producing content on the Eagles, he can be found running, skiing, enjoying craft beers, or spending time with his family. You can follow AJ Black on Twitter @AJBlack_BC and our official site Twitter account is @BulletinBC