Wake Forest (10-12, 2-7 Atlantic Coast) women’s basketball has beaten Boston College (6-15, 1-7) 11 of the 16 times the foes have faced each other. The Eagles, who are currently on a six-game losing streak, will have a shot to turn the tables, when they host the Demon Deacons on Thursday night. Wake Forest, on the other hand, coming off a blowout loss to No. 4 Louisville on Sunday, is seeking to defeat BC for the fourth year in a row.
Who is BC playing?
Wake Forest
When is BC playing?
Thursday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Chestnut Hill, Mass., Conte Forum
How to Watch:
The game will be livestreamed on ACC Network Extra.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) Freshman Milan Bolden-Morris leads the Eagles offensively, posting an average of 12.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. She also is BC’s best 3-point shooter, having knocked down a total of 59 shots beyond the arc this season. Bolden-Morris is followed by sophomores Georgia Pineau and Taylor Ortlepp, who average 11.3 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.
2) In addition to ranking second on the team in points per game, Pineau leads the Eagles on the boards: Her collective 145 offensive and defensive rebounds are unmatched—in fact, she has logged 36 more rebounds than any of her teammates. Pineau boasted her expansive skill-set in the Eagles’ last game against Syracuse, when she led the team with 17 points and 9 rebounds.
3) The Eagles have been struggling, as a group, to keep up offensively with their opponents. In the last three games, BC shot 39 percent from the floor while its opponents shot 42.5 percent, and 26 percent from long range compared to their opponents’ 40-percent conversion rate beyond the arc.
Wake Forest:
1) The Demon Deacons are led offensively by Elisa Penna with 15.2 points per game. The junior has reached double figures in 12 of the 16 games she has played this season, and she’s also shooting from downtown with more success than anyone else on her team, hitting 32.9 percent of her 3-pointers. While on the bench for the first six games due to an injury, Penna has clearly returned ready to play. In addition, she was named to the Italian National Team for Eurobasket Women over the summer of 2017.
2) Wake Forest ranks second in the ACC for offensive rebounds per game (16) and 29th nationally. With defensive rebounds included, the Demon Deacons are 34th nationally (891 total rebounds). Sophomore Alex Sharp leads in the charge in both the offensive and defensive rebounding departments (71 and 99, respectively for the season).
3) Senior Amber Campbell is another key offensive player for the Demon Deacons. At the start of the year, she ranked 19th all-time in career scoring in Wake Forest program history. In 22 games this season, she has jumped all the way up to the eighth spot (1,399 career points).
Last Meeting:
The Eagles and the Demon Deacons last faced each other in the 2016-17 season at Wake Forest’s Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where BC fell, 71-55. Thanks to offensive feats from Georgia Pineau and Emma Guy, the Eagles were still in the game by the end of the third quarter, despite trailing, 41-26, at the half. BC cut the Demon Deacons’ lead to just three points, but Wake Forest opened the final quarter on a 7-2 run. At the end of the day, BC fell short of a pivotal conference road win.
BC wins if…
Bolden-Morris and Pineau exhibit peak offensive performances shooting well from both inside and beyond the arc. Without its leading scorers putting up significant numbers, BC will have a hard time halting its losing streak. In addition to shooting well, it is crucial for the Eagles to crash the boards and prevent Sharp from snagging offensive rebounds. Pineau must continue to excel in rebounding, but her efforts must be matched by Emma Guy and Bolden-Morris.
BC loses if…
It fails to stop Penna, particularly from beyond the arc, and Sharp on the boards. If the Eagles cannot effectively guard the Demon Deacons’ top-scorer—whose solid shooting range holds potential to wreak havoc for BC—and box out their best rebounder, then they quite simply will not be able to control Wake Forest’s offense. The Demon Deacons will also have a good chance of winning if they can find a way to shut down Bolden-Morris and Pineau on the defensive end of the floor.
Featured Image by Celine Lim / Heights Staff
