Boston College Basketball Season Coming To a Close, Barring ACC Tournament Miracle

The Boston College Eagles were a top seed in the 2011 National Invitation Tournament, after having just missed the NCAA Tournament. This year, they didn't even make it that far.

The Eagles have lost 21 games already, and unless they win the ACC Tournament and then the NCAA Tournament, a 22nd is guaranteed. They won't play in any postseason at all as it's been a very rough year for the young squad.

But there have been some signs of growth. Maybe a surprising win or two in the ACC Tournament would generate some positive momentum in an otherwise dark season. They'll start with N.C. State on Thursday, whom they lost to twice in conference play.

Here's a look back at the Eagles' season along with their prospects in the ACC tournament.

Regular Season Recap

It was clear by the end of November that this team would struggle to a considerable degree this season. No half-decent ACC team should lose at Holy Cross by 22 points and then lose by 36 at home against Massachusetts. Boston College then lost at home to Penn State, also a no-no for any team intent on finishing in the middle tier of the ACC (let alone the top tier).

One of the main culprits has been the offense, which has clearly struggled. The Eagles lack a dynamic, take-charge player, and that's why they didn't beat a team in the top half of the ACC until Feb. 8 when they defeated Florida State.

Boston College started the ACC season by winning two of its first three games, but those wins came against seventh-place Clemson and 10th-place Virginia Tech. Boston College then lost six in a row and 11 out of 12 to tumble to the bottom of the ACC standings. In their next 14 games, the Eagles topped 60 points just three times. They were a team that simply died at the offensive end of the floor because of its lack of legitimate go-to options in crunch time.

The Eagles lost a bunch of defensive battles by a slim margin, unable to get the final few buckets that could have changed a stomach-punch loss into an exhilarating victory. As a result, coach Steve Donahue?s team never gained any real traction over the course of the season. The win over Florida State was certainly the highlight, but it was an aberrational event not reinforced by other successes.

North Carolina and Duke have the advantage when it comes to this year's ACC tournament.

North Carolina 10/11
Duke 7/5
Florida State 7/1

Team MVP

Ryan Anderson has been the most consistent performer for the Eagles this season. The 6-foot-8 forward, just a freshman, is the reason why the future of this program might be better than its present-day reality.

Anderson is averaging 10.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, hitting a respectable 42 percent of his shots and giving this team a capable presence at both ends of the floor.

Teammate Matt Humphrey has been solid, but Humphrey doesn't add enough value in other areas for the Eagles. This is Anderson's team; the fact that a freshman is the best player does show, though, why the Eagles are struggling and have been fighting an uphill battle since the season began.

Boston College is facing extremely steep odds to win this year's tournament too.

Boston College 250/1

Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Outlook

Boston College, as the No. 12 seed in the ACC Tournament, will play the No. 5 seed in the first round on Thursday in Atlanta. That fifth seed is North Carolina State, a team that will be playing to stay in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. The urgency of the moment should motivate North Carolina State to play well, meaning that Boston College will have to max out in order to have a half-decent chance of winning.

Lonnie Jackson, a 40-percent three-point shooter, will need to catch fire, but even then, he'll be hard pressed to score enough points for the Eagles to stay in the fight. The forecast simply isn't optimistic for the worst team in the ACC.