Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Boston College

Here are the more significant storylines to follow ahead of Louisville's men's basketball's matchup with the Boston College Eagles

(Photo of David Johnson: Paul Rutherford/USA TODAY Sports)

LOUISVILLE, Ky, - Returning home after a two-game road trip, Louisville was able to break a three-game losing streak to Kentucky, downing the Wildcats 62-59 in the annual Battle of the Bluegrass. Next up for the Cardinals, they head back on the road after a week off to face the Boston College Eagles. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 2nd at 12:00pm EST, and can be viewed on your regional sports network (Fox Sports South in Louisville).

Here are a couple of the more significant storylines to follow ahead of Cardinals' matchup with the Eagles:

Writing on the Wall?

It hasn't been the smoothest of starts for Boston College heading into head coach Jim Christian's seventh year at the helm, as the Eagles sit at 2-6 to close out the calendar year.

Boston College's two wins on the season come against Rhode Island & Maine, a pair of teams with a combined win-loss record of 4-8 on the season.

While the Eagles have collected several losses prior to the end of the calendar year, BC isn't losing to a bunch of nobodies. Four of Boston College's six losses are against teams in the KenPom Top 30, with none against teams outside the top 100.

BC held a late lead over then-No. 3 Villanova before the Wildcats took over down the stretch, and also took now-No. 21 Minnesota to overtime on the road before falling to them as well. Conversely, the Eagles lost by 20 to Florida and Syracuse by 38.

Christian's tenure in Chestnut Hill has been largely mired in mediocrity. He has a 77-125 record since arriving in 2015, has never made the NCAA Tournament, and has been over .500 in just one season (2017-18). If things keep trending in the direction they currently are, this could be the year Boston College finally parts ways with Jim Christian.

The Olé Defense

The main reason for Boston College's struggles through their first eight games of the season has been their abysmal defense. The Eagles are allowing opponents to shoot 50.0% from the field, a mark that's the worst in the ACC and ranks 318th in all of Division I.

Where BC really struggles in this department is inside the three-point line. They are allowing teams to shoot 59.3% on two-point attempts, which is 323rd in D1 and worst among major college basketball conferences (Power Five, Big East, AAC, A10, WCC). The Eagles allow the three ball at a 33.7% clip, which is marginally better from a nation perspective at 191st in D1.

Let it Rain

BC's mindset on the offensive side of the ball is undoubtedly "live by the three, die by the three". Nearly half of their total field goal attempts come from beyond the arc, as 45.8% of them are three-point attempts.

The problem, however, is that the Eagles are not particularly adept at shooting them. Boston College is shooting just 33.0% on threes, a mark which ranks 12th in the ACC and 169th in D1.

Backcourt Duo

The Eagles might not be one of the more noteworthy teams in the ACC, but they do feature a very solid backcourt.

After being out for 670 days due to various knee issues, point guard Wynston Tabbs is back and better than ever. The junior leads Boston College in scoring with 15.6 points per game, but also chips in with 3.3 rebounds & 1.5 assists. He is also BC's go-to man for a three pointer, as he leads the team in made threes (19) and three-point shooting percentage (42.2%).

Not to be outdone, shooting guard Jay Heath is also a great scoring option for the Eagles. While he is second on the team in that category with 12.6 points per game, he has struggled to shoot at times, as he has a field goal percentage of just 39.1%.

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