Eagles Close Out 2018 with Hartford in Non-Conference Finale

BOSTON COLLEGE VS. HARTFORD - ALL-TIME SERIES

Today's game marks the ninth meeting between the two teams.
Boston College is 7-1 all-time vs. Hartford.
The Eagles won, 73-61, last season at Hartford on Dec. 2, 2017.
Four BC players scored in double figures in the win.
Jerome Robinson led the way with 23 points and six rebounds.
Ky Bowman had 21, Jordan Chatman 14 and Nik Popovic registered his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

BOSTON COLLEGE VS. THE AMERICA EAST

Boston College is 61-15 against America East opponents.
Last season, the Eagles earned wins over Maine and Hartford.
BC's most common America East opponent is UNH (26-6).
This marks the fifth straight season that the Eagles will take on an America East foe in the non-conference.

KY BOWMAN: THE NATION'S MOST DYNAMIC GUARD

Ky Bowman is the only player in the country averaging at least: 18.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game.
In 2017-18, Bowman was the only player in the country to average at least 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists per game.
Since the 1990-91 season, only 10 players have registered at least those season averages.
One of those players was National Player of the Year - Denzel Valentine of Michigan State in 2016.
Three were top three NBA Draft picks: Ben Simmons, LSU (#1, 2016); Evan Turner, Ohio State (#2, 2010); and Penny Hardaway, Memphis (#3, 1993).
Five were first round NBA Draft picks: Simmons; Turner; Hardaway; Valentine (#14, 2016); Bob Sura, FSU (#17, 1995).
Seven were named their conference's Player of the Year: Valentine (2015-16); Hardaway (1991-92); Turner (2009-10); Trenton Hassell, Austin Peay (1999-2000); Ricky Minard, Morehead State (2002-03); T.J. Cline, Richmond (2016-17); Patrick Cole N.C. Central (2016-17).
Nine of the 10 earned Associated Press All-American honors.

WYNSTON TABBS: ADDING ANOTHER DYNAMIC TO BOSTON COLLEGE BACKCOURT

Wynston Tabbs is the only freshman nationally to average 15.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals/game.
He is one of 25 players nationally - including three in the ACC (Ky Bowman and Marquise Reed of Clemson) to post that stat line.
The Suitland, Md. native ranks fourth in the ACC and 19th nationally among all freshmen in scoring.
Over his last six games, he is averaging 19.3 points per game with at least three rebounds and three assists in each game.

TODAY'S BOSTON COLLEGE NOTE(S) YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

Wynston Tabbs has scored in double figures on nine occasions. He has had at least 15 points in all nine of those games.
Tabbs scored 13 of his 15 at DePaul in the second half, including 10 straight points during a 1:54 stretch as BC took its first lead.
As a starter (three games), Chris Herren Jr. is averaging 12.3 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 35.3% from 3-point land.
Entering this season Nik Popovic had scored 18 points in a single-game twice through 68 games played.
He has done it three times in his last five outings, including a career-high 22 points vs. Columbia and 19 last time out at DePaul.
BC has worn its home white uniforms in all but one game this season, including the alternate home "Eagles" set vs. Providence.
At DePaul, the Eagles wore their alternate Boston skyline gray uniforms.
Ky Bowman is one of three players in the ACC to rank among the top 10 in scoring (18.8) and rebounding (7.6).
Zion Williamson of Duke (19.8p/9.4r) and Jordan Nwora of Louisville (17.8p/8.3r) are the others. They are 6-7 and 6-8, respectively.

ON THIS DATE: DECEMBER 31

Boston College is 6-1 all-time in games played on the December 31 calendar date.
In addition to New Year's Eve, December 31 also marks the celebration of National Champagne Day.
Several historic events occurred on December 31 - 1600: the British East India Company formed; 1857: Queen Victoria names Ottawa as the capital of Canada; 1862: Abraham Lincoln signs act admitting West Virginia to the Union; 1890: Ellis Island opens; 1904: first New Year's Eve celebration in Longacre Square (now Times Square); 2007: Boston's "Big Dig" ends.
Notable December 31 birthdays: actor Anthony Hopkins, singer Donna Summer, Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, actor Ben Kingsley, and singer John Denver.

CHANCE FOR FIRST BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLE-DIGIT NON-CONFERENCE WIN CAMPAIGNS IN 14 YEARS

With a win today, BC has a chance to post double-digit non-conference wins in the regular season for the first time in 14 years.
The Eagles have nine wins so far through the non-conference in 2018-19. Last year, BC had 10 wins in OOC play.
The last time BC posted 10 or more wins in regular season non-conference play came in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
In 2004-05, the Eagles won 11 regular season non-conference games, while the 2005-06 squad won 13 such contests.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICITS

Boston College erased an 12-point first half deficit at DePaul to emerge with the 65-62 win on Dec. 22.
The Eagles trailed 32-20 with 3:11 left in the first half. BC took its first lead with 35 seconds remaining.
It is the second time this season that BC bounced back to win after trailing by 10+ points: 14 vs. Milwaukee on Nov. 6.
The Eagles trailed 26-12 with 8:46 left in the first half and 40-27 with 19:31 remaining in regulation.
BC outscored Milwaukee, 46-13, the rest of the way - marking its largest second half comeback since Nov. 22, 2017.
In that game, BC trailed by 14 points to Colgate at home before coming back to win, 83-79.
Thru the 2017-18 season, the Eagles trailed by 10 or more points 11 times before coming back to tie or take the lead.
Last season, Boston College came back from double-digit deficits en route to victory on five occasions.

JARED HAMILTON MAKES BOSTON COLLEGE DEBUT AT DEPAUL

Jared Hamilton made his Boston College at DePaul after sitting out the first nine games due to NCAA transfer regulations.
Hamilton scored four points and logged a steal in close to 15 minutes of action in the win over the Blue Demons.
The 6-4, 190 lb. guard transferred to BC from Georgia Southern last year during the mid-semester break.
He played eight games during the 2017-18 season at Georgia Southern, averaging 6.5 points and 2.5 rebounds.
Hamilton began his college career at Jacksonville State in 2015-16, averaging 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in 30 starts.
At JSU, he was a three-time Ohio Valley Rookie of the Week and was the conference's fifth-leading freshman scorer.
A native of Charlotte, N.C., he is the older brother of Eagles freshman Jairus Hamilton.
The Hamiltons are one of six pairs of brothers at the Division I level to play on the same team. (h/t Scott Kuykendall)

FOR THE ANALYTICS CROWD

So far this season, Boston College has had three single-game efficiency ratings of 30 or more.
Efficiency rating is calculated using the following formula: (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK - Missed Shots - TO)
Versus Columbia, both Nik Popovic (32) and Ky Bowman (30) recorded at least a mark of 30.
Wynston Tabbs holds the season-high, with an EFF rating of 38 against Sacred Heart on Nov. 29.