:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27711433/20140129_pjc_sj7_001.0.jpg)
If only all 18 Atlantic Coast Conference games could be against Virginia Tech ...
The hot-shooting Eagles put those eight days off to good use, draining a season-high 14 three pointers in a 76-52 rout of Virginia Tech. With the win, the Eagles improve to 6-14, 2-5 ACC. Virginia Tech falls to 8-12, 1-7 ACC.
Four Eagles finished in double figures, led by guard Joe Rahon (20 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists). Ryan Anderson (18 points), Patrick Heckmann (14) and Olivier Hanlan (11) also scored in double figures. Virginia Tech forward Jarrell Eddie finished with a game high 23 points for the Hokies, who were playing without my fourth favorite Barksdale*, starting forward C.J. Barksdale.
Let's get this out of the way early. Virginia Tech is bad; every bit as bad as Boston College has been this year. The Hokies are still searching for their first win in 2014 and have now lost seven straight. While I don't think the outcome of this game will change Donahue's fate at season's end, it was refreshing to see the team coast from wire-to-wire against a team it was expected to beat. Especially one that they have historically dominated at home (now 11-1 vs. the Hokies all-time at Conte Forum).
Post-game stream of consciousness
-- Patrick Heckmann turned in arguably his best performance of the year. Donahue should probably play this guy more often. The German finished with 14 points and 2 boards on 5-11 shooting, including a pair of triples early in the second half to extend BC's lead to 22!
-- Speaking of 22, Doug Flutie ... still a rockstar on the Heights 30 years later.
Because Flutie RT @akulawolf: Doug Flutie is at the BC game playing drums http://t.co/78IXE8tZeH
— BC Interruption (@bcinterruption) January 30, 2014
-- Donahue #FreedGarlandOwens. The true freshman logged 10 minutes but didn't find the scoring sheet, finishing 0-of-3 from the floor including at least one point blank layup miss.
-- The Eagles sunk a season-high 14 three pointers on 37 (!) attempts and Lonnie Jackson had just one of them (1-of-6 from three). Scary to think about how badly this game would have gotten out of hand had Jackson also gotten hot from range.
-- A total of 15 Eagles found the stat sheet as the reserves were thrown in during mop up duty. That was a refreshing change of pace. Nice to see John Cain Carney, Sam Donahue, Steve Perpiglia, Drew Jacobs, Danny Rubin and KC Caudill all get in the game.
-- Filed under crazy, but true: the 24-point victory was BC's second largest victory since joining the ACC. Hard to think that some of those first few ACC teams, especially the 2005-06 squad, didn't blow away teams by a greater margin.
-- Bigger picture, the win vaults BC from 14th in the ACC league standings to 12th with 11 regular season games to go. The team that finishes last in the regular season standings will likely be left out of next year's ACC/Big Ten Challenge. With two wins now over Virginia Tech, hopefully BC can string together a few more wins, NOT finish last and get an ACC/Big Ten Challenge home game next season. That is, if it's the right time to be playing in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
-- If the season ended today, as the 12 seed, BC would again play Georgia Tech in the first round of the tournament.
-- Next, the Eagles travel to South Bend to take on Notre Dame in the first ACC meeting between the two programs (Saturday, Feb. 1 at noon, ESPN3). Since upsetting Duke 79-77 at home, Notre Dame (11-10, 2-6 ACC) has lost six of its last seven games -- all in ACC play.
Highlights below.
Leave your thoughts on the game below. Go Eagles!
* Brian's Barksdale Power Rankings
1. Drew
2. Avon
3. D'Angelo
4. C.J.