The ACC opener to open 2026
Who: Boston College Eagles (7-6) vs. Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (9-5)
Where: McCamish Pavilion, Atlanta, GA
When: Saturday January 3rd, 2026
Tip-Off Time: 2:00 PM EST
How to Watch: ACC Network
On Saturday afternoon, the BC men’s basketball team competes in their first game of the new year, taking on their first ACC opponent of the season in Georgia Tech. BC is riding a 2-game winning streak over Le Moyne and FDU, but the Eagles lost their only game against a power conference opponent so far this season (78-69 to LSU).
GT is expected to be one of the worst ACC teams this season right alongside Boston College. Their Kenpom rating is #125, and so far they are 0-4 against power conference opponents. Most recently, they lost a New Years’ Eve contest against #6 Duke at Cameron Indoor.
The Yellowjackets are led by senior guard Kowacie Reeves, a 6’6” transfer from Florida who is now in his third season in Atlanta. Reeves is averaging 16 points per game and is a deadly threat from three-point range, shooting 43% on the year. Beyond him, though, GT doesn’t boast many scoring threats. They are 206th in the nation in points per game and shoot just 50% from the field overall, a similar statistical profile to Boston College. They also turn the ball over at a high rate and don’t shoot many three-pointers, except for Reeves. If BC can contain Reeves’s impact from beyond the arc, they should be able to ride their effective paint defense to a solid showing.
Georgia Tech’s defense is a mixed bag. They aren’t particularly good at creating turnovers and they allow opponents to shoot a large amount of three-point shots. But their defense in the paint is solid and they can rebound the basketball. If BC wants to find success on offense, they need to do a good job of passing the ball around on the perimeter, finding open shots, and actually sinking them on their first attempt. Not exactly a strength for the Eagles.
A familiar name for BC fans is also on the GT roster: Chas Kelley III. He averages 14 minutes for the Yellowjackets, scoring 4 points per game. He is essentially the last guy off of the bench, serving as GT’s 9th man.
Overall, the best unit on the floor on Saturday should be BC’s defense. The Eagles are top-20 in the nation this season at defending three-point shots and in total blocks. Much of that has to do with their weak competition, but Georgia Tech’s offense is often one-dimensional and can be contained like some of the opponents that BC has already faced. I expect this to be a close and ugly game, but one that is winnable for the Eagles.
Prediction: Boston College 65 Georgia Tech 63
Category: General Sports
