Kansas Preview

I didn't watch the Longwood game, but I listened to it, and I think it was the perfect tuneup for tomorrow's tilt against Kansas. BC got a little mojo back by thumping a mid-major, just what the doctor ordered heading into their joust with the talented Jayhawks. The only way they knock off KU is if they beeeeelieve they can win, and with a rocking Conte Forum behind them, I think they'll at least have the vibe coming off such a strong showing Wednesday night. That's why I have a weird feeling about this game, a good one, I really think we're in for a pleasant surprise. Moreover, Kansas has played a bunch of creampuffs at home (the exception being an OT win over Arizona), and their 2 road games resulted in a close win at USC and a 5 point survival against average GTech. So the 12-0 Kansas record is a little bloated, which is great for BC. With the Jayhawks traveling some 1500 miles to Boston in the dead of winter, reading their press clippings along the way, I suspect a distracted Kansas squad might start slow. The key is whether the Eagles can jump on them. If BC gets up early and controls the tempo, we could be in for a great game, and maybe even a big upset.

What would a win do for BC? Everything. Looking at the schedule, the Eagles will probably win their last out-of-conference game (Robert Morris) barring a major stumble, and end up 7-9, 8-8 or 9-7 in the ACC. That means 18, 19 or 20 wins (assuming 1 win in the ACC tourney), which puts them squarely on the NCAA Bubble (hey Jay Bilas in his ACC preview is with me there). If you throw in a win over No. 3 Kansas, BC moves from Bubble to Lock in my view. So this game could make or break their bid for the NCAAs. For a season in which few of us had great expectations, that would be incredible. What an opportunity for the Eagles tomorrow.

Go BC!