Boston College Looking for a 3-0 Start
Boston College looks to stay undefeated when Maine comes to town. The coaches know each other pretty well as first-year Maine coach Chris Markwood was part of BC head coach Earl Grant’s staff last season.
This is the ninth season in a row that Boston College has played at least one game against an America East program. North Carolina comes into the season as a team to beat not only in the Atlantic Coast Conference but in the race for the national title.
Boston College was ranked 13th out of 15 teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll. Maine was selected last in the America East poll.
According to the college basketball playoff odds, Boston College (+15000) is tied for 11th in the odds to win the ACC title.
Let’s check the latest college basketball odds, stats, injury reports, and college basketball lines for Maine vs Boston College. We’ve plenty of NCAA basketball odds for you to consider.
Also check on these NCAAB betting lines.
Transfers Delivering for Maine
When Markwood was hired at Maine, he wasted little time changing the roster.
Guard Gedi Juozapaitis transferred from Georgia Southern and is the leading scorer for the Black Bears as he has 35 points on 68% shooting in the first two games of the season.
Former Montana State guard Kellen Tynes leads the team with an average of 28.5 minutes per game and puts up 11 points, five assists and four steals a contest.
Freshman Jaden Clayton is another key part of the rotation as he leads the Black Bears with 12 assists this season.
Maine covered against the Las Vegas odds in its only game this season against a Division I team, falling to Nebraska 79-66 as a 21-point underdog.
Bickerstaff Doubling His Pleasure
T.J. Bickerstaff is the first Boston College player to begin the season with back-to-back double-doubles since Jared Dudley during the 2006-07 season. If he accomplishes the feat, he would become the first BC player to have three double-doubles in the first three games since Kenny Harley in 2000-01.
Under 4️⃣ media timeout: BC 60, DM 64
T.J. Bickerstaff has his second double double in two games with 11 points and 11 rebounds.#ForBoston🦅 pic.twitter.com/gX9u5uhuav
— BC Men’s Basketball (@BCMBB) November 11, 2022
Bickerstaff went from averaging 6.6 points and 7.2 rebounds a game as a junior while shooting 39% from the field to 12.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 59% shooting in wins over Cornell and Detroit Mercy.
Bickerstaff and the Eagles outscored their first two opponents 27-11 in the last five minutes to win by two and four points. The defense has played a key role in the strong finishes as the Eagles have held opponents to 31% shooting and allowed only one offensive rebound down the stretch in the first two games.
Boston College failed to cover against the college basketball betting lines in its first two games as a nine-point favorite against Cornell and an 8½-point favorite against Detroit Mercy.
Maine vs Boston College Game Injuries
Maine vs Boston College Head-to-Head
Boston College has won the last four meetings in the series since Maine’s 52-51 victory in 2010. The last time the teams played, the Eagles won 78-62 in 2020 when listed by the college basketball odds as a 23-point favorite. Three of the last four meetings were decided by 20 points or fewer.
Boston College averaged 90 points in the four wins against Maine from 2004-2017. The Eagles have won 18 of the 22 meetings in a series dating back to the 1920-21 season.
Maine vs Boston College Game Information
- Game: Maine (1-1) vs Boston College (2-0)
- Location: Conte Forum, Boston.
- Day/Time: Monday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m. ET
- Maine vs Boston College Live stream: TBS.com
Maine vs Boston College Betting Lines
Maine vs Boston College Picks & Prediction
It hasn’t always been pretty, but Boston College has won its first two games. Now the Eagles are 20½ -point favorites with Maine coming to town.
Boston College has failed to cover in the last three games when favored by at least 20 points, including the 2020 meeting with Maine.
Maine’s opponents have 24 steals in the first two games.
There are some injury concerns for Boston College. Prince Aligbe, the first freshman to lead BC in scoring in a season opener in 11 years, joins Bickerstaff, guard DeMarr Langhorn Jr., and forward Quinten Post as questionable for the game.
Those injuries and the fact that the Eagles struggled to put away their first two mid-major opponents make this a risky game for those who bet online. Look for BC to win again, but putting up a 20-point triumph might be a struggle.