Game predictions: NC State basketball at Boston College

NC State Wolfpack basketball continues ACC play Saturday with a road contest at Boston College in Conte Forum at 12:00 p.m. on ACC Network.

The Wolfpack (7-7, 3-6 ACC) will look to earn its first road victory of the season. The Pack is coming off of a 64-57 loss to No. 14 Virginia Wednesday.

The Eagles (3-10, 1-6 ACC) will play their first game in three weeks coming off of a COVID pause. BC lost to Notre Dame 80-70 in South Bend in its last contest on Jan. 16.

Here are The Wolfpacker staff's game predictions for State's matchup with Boston College Saturday:

How this game goes will ultimately depend on how many players are available for Boston College Saturday.

Eagles head coach Jim Christian said Monday during a league-wide head coaches Zoom availability that BC was preparing to play Florida State Tuesday night with just four scholarship players ready to suit up. The game was later postponed due to new positive COVID tests in the Seminoles program, but it showed how significantly Boston College was impacted by its own virus-related pause.

Considering this matchup will be the Eagles' first game in three weeks, I expect more than four scholarship players will be able to suit up for BC. If not, it will be a long afternoon for Boston College.

Even if BC gets its full roster back, NC State should win this game.

The Wolfpack was clearly better in a 79-76 win in Raleigh back in December, although that game ended up being closer than it should have been.

NC State has played well over the past four games despite going 1-3 in that stretch. If it can continue putting forth the same fight it's shown over the past two weeks, the Wolfpack should have no problem with a Boston College team that has struggled this year.

But then again, the Pack has yet to show it can win on the road this season. A victory Saturday would give the Wolfpack its first true road win since Feb. 11, 2020, when State beat Syracuse 79-74 in the Carrier Dome.

Hope there's good ice cream in Chestnut Hill.

Prediction: NC State 77, Boston College 70

Previous predictions:

ACC Game 1: NC State 79, UNC 75 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 2: NC State 87, Boston College 80 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 3: NC State 73, Clemson 71 (Actual: Clemson 74-70)

ACC Game 4: NC State 72, Miami 64 (Actual: Miami 64-59)

ACC Game 5: NC State 82, Florida State 77 (Actual: Florida State 105-73)

ACC Game 6: North Carolina 81, NC State 75 (Actual: UNC 86-76)

ACC Game 7: NC State 80, Wake Forest 71 (Actual: NC State 72-67)

ACC Game 8: NC State 75, Syracuse 72 (Actual: Syracuse 76-73)

ACC Game 9: Virginia 70, NC State 65 (Actual: Virginia 64-57)

Truthfully, this is not a game that NC State should lose.

That’s not to say it can’t. Noon tipoffs on the road at Boston College were tough to get motivated for even before there were no crowds, and you are now dealing with an adversity-filled season.

Kevin Keatts probably has little idea what to expect from BC. The Eagles have been in a prolonged COVID pause and this will be its first game since Jan. 16. That's a full three weeks in between contests that have caused Boston College to have five games postponed. They were set to return on Tuesday with a home game against Florida State despite having just four scholarship players available in what would have been a ridiculous game before FSU’s own COVID-related pause.

I’m of the mindset that NC State has been playing well in its past two games. Perfect? Of course not. Otherwise, it would have won twice. But against two decent-to-top teams, it competed and was in position to win. Boston College is a notch below Syracuse and a couple below Virginia. If the Wolfpack puts forth a similar effort against the Eagles as it has done in the last two games, it’ll probably win.

Personally, I am expecting a slow start because of the noon game, but the lack of practicing and games for Boston College catches up to it, and the Wolfpack pulls away for the win.

Prediction: NC State 74, Boston College 62

Previous predictions:

ACC Game 1: UNC 79, NC State 70 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 2: NC State 78, Boston College 66 (Actual: NC State 79-76)

ACC Game 3: Clemson 79, NC State 76 (Actual: Clemson 74-70)

ACC Game 4: NC State 79, Miami 76 (Actual: Miami 64-59)

ACC Game 5: Florida State 79, NC State 76 (Actual: Florida State 105-73)

ACC Game 6: North Carolina 79, NC State 76 (Actual: North Carolina 86-76)

ACC Game 7: NC State 77, Wake Forest 71 (Actual: NC State 72-67)

ACC Game 8: NC State 69, Syracuse 66 (Actual: Syracuse 76-73)

ACC Game 9: Virginia 72, NC State 59 (Actual: Virginia 64-57)

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