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Hokies Basketball: Virginia Tech at Boston College Preview and Prediction

After getting an impressive 10-point win at home against Florida State due to a great second half finish, the Virginia Tech Hokies go on the road to take on the Boston College Eagles. For the first time this season, the Hokies are favorites on the road against a Boston College team that hasn't won an ACC game yet and was down 37-4 at one point in the first half Sunday at Wake Forest who the Hokies face next. Boston College is one of the worst power conference schools in the nation as the Eagles have not had more than 70 points in a single ACC game, and have only broken the 70-point mark four times all season. The Eagles have also only loss one game by single-digits in ACC play, but Boston College will be desperate for an ACC win, and the Hokies better be ready on the road. Virginia Tech knows that a slip-up tonight against Boston College would likely end their hopes of getting to the NIT. However, the Hokies know that they need to keep winning to avoid playing on the opening day of the ACC Tournament with Georgia Tech one game back and Florida State tied in the win column with the Seminoles being the last team in the second day over the Yellow Jackets. Virginia Tech played some great defense against Florida State and they face an awful offensive Boston College team that averages only 60.9 points per game, putting them 345th in the nation. Boston College is also poor on the glass ranking 336th in the nation averaging only 31.3 rebounds per game. The focal point of any offense for Boston College is senior guard Eli Carter who is averaging over 15 points per game, but is shooting a poor 36.8% from the field and 30.2% from beyond the arc. Seth Allen, Justin Robinson, and Devin Wilson may all get the chance to guard Carter at different points, and the Hokies need to focus on making someone else other than Carter create offense for the Eagles. The Eagles do have a decent rebounding big man in Dennis Clifford who is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game along with 8.9 points and 1.1 blocks per game. However, the Hokies were able to limit Florida State's bigs even with Shane Henry and Kerry Blackshear guarding them, and I would expect Blackshear to be up to the challenge against the senior Clifford. Seth Allen came alive against Florida State and the junior point guard will look to continue that while Justin Robinson has been in double-figures in the last three games. Robinson and Allen are both starting to play some of their basketball at the right time and the Hokies should benefit from the duo having another strong night. Boston College is the new cellar-dweller of the ACC, and the Hokies will once again prove that they are not only out of the bottom of the ACC, but far from it with a dominant road performance led by Allen, Robinson, and Zach LeDay in what likely won't be a tough environment.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 70, Boston College 55

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