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HOOPS: Boston College vs. Notre Dame Preview

NOTRE DAME (6-2, 0-1 ACC) VS. BOSTON COLLEGE (4-5, 1-0 ACC)

Where: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Ind.

Time/TV/Internet: Today, 2 p.m. EST; Available on ESPNU, UND.com, Sirius/XM Radio Channel 989

Line: Notre Dame -12.5 (133 ov/und)

Prediction: Notre Dame 76, BC 60

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After seven straight non-conference returns to ACC action against a BC team it has beaten 13 straight times.
After seven straight non-conference returns to ACC action against a BC team it has beaten 13 straight times. (USA Today/Sports)

Series Facts: After seven straight non-conference games, Notre Dame returns to ACC action against a Boston College team that the Irish have dominated for the last 20 years.

In this all-Catholic “rivalry,” Notre Dame has won 17 of 18 games since 1999, including 13 in a row.

Even last year when the Irish won only three conference games all season, two of those came against the Eagles. Overall, Notre Dame is 21-10 in the series.

NOTRE DAME OVERVIEW

The Irish come into this game hurting in more ways than one. The immediate concern is bouncing back from a dominating 72-51 defeat handed to them Wednesday at No. 3 Maryland where Notre Dame not only struggled to make shots, going just 18-of-62 (29 percent), but struggled just to find shots.

Without the play of senior forwards John Mooney and Juwan Durham — who combined for 26 of the team’s 51 points and 17 of its 39 rebounds — the Irish might not have reached 40 points in this game.

Adding injury to insult, Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey confirmed Thursday that sophomore guard Robby Carmody suffered an ACL tear against Maryland and will miss the remainder of the season. A shoulder injury sidelined Carmody for the final 24 games last year.

BC OVERVIEW

The Eagles have lost four straight and five of six, which includes a 100-85 home drubbing to Belmont and an 82-64 blowout loss Tuesday to Northwestern in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

BC has looked bad during the streak, losing the four games by an average of 15.8 points, including two 20-point losses its last two outings.

The Eagles were out-rebounded by 51 in those four games and also allowed extended 20-plus point scoring runs to opponents in three of the last four games.

BC is off to its worst start since the 2015-16 season, a year when the program went 7-25 overall and 0-18 in the ACC.

GAME OUTLOOK

Even with a disappointing performance against Maryland where Notre Dame had only 11 assists and 10 turnovers, the Irish still remain the No. 1 team in the NCAA with a 1.72 assist/turnover ratio.

Meanwhile, Boston College ranks just No. 242 in the category with a .88 ratio, which slots 12th in the 15-team ACC.

Neither one of these teams seems to be exuding much confidence or momentum. Notre Dame won six straight home games before the 21-point beatdown at Maryland, but each of those six wins came against lesser opponents, some of which tested the team’s survival skills, and one (Toledo) that required a miracle finish for the Irish to pull out an overtime win.

QUICK HITS:

*BC is one of two ACC opponents (Georgia Tech the other) designated as permanent annual home-and-home series mates with Notre Dame. The Irish are 19-5 against the Eagles and Yellow Jackets since 2013-14.

*Apparently not so committed to blocking out so far this season, Boston College and Notre Dame are two of only three ACC teams allowing more than 40 opponent rebounds per game.

*Today will be the 2019-20 #IrishWearGreen game. All fans will receive a free “rally towel” and the Irish will wear green jerseys for the first time this season.


QUOTEABLE:

“I think there was a little bit of a reality check, no question, so I’m very interested to see how we come out (against BC) because we got punched in the face good and then you had to deal with Robby’s (Carmody) situation. So now it’s time to be men and get up and see if we can win a league game here,” — Brey on bouncing back today after the drubbing at Maryland.

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