Eagles Set to Face #21/24 Duke

BOSTON COLLEGE VS. DUKE - ALL-TIME SERIES

START TALKING TABBS FOR COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Wynston Tabbs should be in the conversation for both ACC and National Comeback Player of the Year.
Tabbs returned to the court after a 676-day injury layoff - one of 10 players to return in 2020-21 after a 600+ day layoff.
This season, Tabbs ranks first on Boston College - and 15th in the ACC - in scoring, at 15.6 points per game.
Tabbs is also seventh-best in the ACC in 3-pointers made, averaging 2.4 3FG/g.
The Suitland, Md. native has scored in double figures in all nine games this year.
He has posted two games with at least 23 points this season, including 24 points on Dec. 8 at Minnesota.
At N.C. State, Tabbs scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the second half.
Against Rhode Island, Tabbs saw 35 minutes of action, tallying his first collegiate double-double: 16 points and 10 boards.
In 2018-19, Tabbs was one of the best young guards in the country, averaging 14.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 3.0 apg prior to injury.
When Tabbs was in the lineup in 2018-19, the Eagles were 10-5 - including wins over tourney teams Minnesota, Florida State.
He was named the ACC Rookie and CBS Sports/Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week on Dec. 17, 2018.
Tabbs became the first freshman in BC history to score at least 15 points in each of his first three games.

THEY'RE HEATING UP...

Jay Heath and Makai Ashton-Langford are both scoring well above their season averages over the last three games.
Heath is averaging 17.7 points over his last three, while Ashton-Langford checks in at 11.0 points per game during the span.
Both players are shooting at high clip - Heath is connecting on close to 48% while Ashton-Langford is at nearly 53%.
Fellow guard Wynston Tabbs is scoring 14.3 ppg over the span, as the backcourt trio is accounting 46.0 ppg in the last three.

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

Jay Heath became just the fifth BC player since 1993-94 to reach 500 career points in less than 40 games played.
Troy Bell and Craig Smith each reached the 500-point mark in 26 games.
Olivier Hanlan did so in 33 games, while Ky Bowman needed 36 games and Jerome Robinson 37.
Heath is the only player in that group to score 500 points with only one game scoring at least 20 points.

ON THIS DATE: JANUARY 6

Boston College is 9-12 all-time, 2-1 in ACC play, and 0-4 vs. ranked teams in games played on the January 6 calendar date.
Several notable events in history occurred on January 6 - 1832: The New England Anti-Slavery Society organizes in Boston; 1838: Samuel Morse demonstrated his telegraph machine in New Jersey; 1893: the Washington National Cathedral is chartered by Congress; 1929: Mother Teresa arrives in Calcutta to begin her mission work; 1941: FDR delivers his "Four Freedoms" speech; 1973: "Schoolhouse Rock" premieres on ABC; 1975 "Wheel of Fortune" premieres on NBC; 1995: Lenny Wilkens passes Red Auerbach to become the NBA's all-time winningest coach.
Notable January 6 birthdays: actress Kate McKinnon; golfer Nancy Lopez; former NFL star Howie Long; poet Carl Sandburg; explorer John Smith; screenwriter John Singleton; and Joan of Arc.
January 6 also marks the dual celebration of National Cuddle Up and National Shortbread Days.

THE HEATER

Jay Heath has reached double digits in the scoring column on six occasions this season.
Over his last three games, he is averaging 17.7 ppg while shooting 47%/47%/86% from the floor, 3-point land, and FT line.
Against Louisville, Heath scored a career-high 20 points (5-10 FG; 4-6 3FG; 6-7 FT).
He scored 17 points at N.C. State (7-15 FG; 3-6 3FG) and at Minnesota, Heath had 16 points, knocking down four 3-pointers.
Against #3 Villanova, Heath had 16 points to go with four boards, two assists, and a blocked shot.
He had 13 points in 31 minutes against St. John's making three 3-pointers.
One of the top freshmen in the ACC a season ago, Heath was the first BC frosh since 2012-13 to lead the team in scoring.
The 6-3 guard averaged 13.1 points per game in 2019-20 and set a new BC freshman 3-pointers record, with 65 made.
He reached double figures on 26 occasions, second only to Duke's Vernon Carey (29) - the ACC Rookie of the Year.
Heath was one of three freshmen - Carey and Landers Nolley II (VT) - to rank among the top 20 in the league in scoring.

WELL-ROUNDED

Steffon Mitchell - an All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive team selection a season ago returns for his fourth season in 2020-21.
He ranks sixth among active players in career rebounding (818) and first in career assists (241) among players 6-8 or taller,
In 2019-20, he was the only player in DI to average: 7.8 points. 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.2 steals,1.0 blocks per game.
The 6-8 forward was one of the top ACC players on the offensive glass, corralling 3.1 ORPG
Mitchell also ranked second in steals (2.2), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.92:1), fifth in steal/turnover ratio (1.36:1), 18th in assists (3.1), and 15th in blocked shots (1.0) in the ACC last season.
His 2.2 steals/game average ranked 14th nationally and he was the tallest player in the top 30 for steals nationally
He was the first BC freshman to average more than 8.0 rebounds per game, is one of six players to lead the Eagles on the glass in each of his first three seasons and one of eight to lead BC in rebounding average on three occasions.
Only Craig Smith and Bill Curley have led BC in rebounding in each of their four seasons on the Heights.
Mitchell has led BC in at least one statistical category (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) in 90 of his 101 career games.

TAKE AND GIVE

Makai Ashton-Langford notched a career-high four steals against Maine and leads BC with 17 total steals.
His 1.9 steals per game average ranks eighth in the ACC and his 1.14 steals/turnover ratio also ranks eighth in the league.
His steal percentage (steals/defensive possessions) of 3.8% ranks 128th nationally and is 10th-best in the ACC.
Ashton-Langford also ranks eighth in the ACC in assist/turnover ratio, posting a 1.71 ATR.

HOPING THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER IN 2020-21

Last season, Boston College ranked 184th nationally in 3-pointers per game, making 7.2 3FG per outing.
The Eagles are tied for 53rd this season, making 9.0 3-pointers per game in 2020-21.