Boston College vs. N.C. State: Eagles open ACC play against Wolfpack

Ryan Anderson and the Boston College Eagles (8-5) will have their hands full against C.J. Leslie and the No. 23 ranked N.C. State Wolfpack (11-2) in their first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season at 4 p.m. ET inside Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, MA.

The Eagles enter Saturday's game playing their best basketball of they year, having won five straight to close out non-conference play strong. After a poor showing against the Bryant Bulldogs (a 56-54 loss), the Eagles have rattled off five wins in six games. IN the month of December, BC finished with a 5-1 record, including a quality win against the Providence Friars, 71-68.

Anderson continues to have a strong season for the Eagles and is nearly averaging a double-double with 15.9 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 51.1 percent from the field. Freshman guards Olivier Hanlan and Joe Rahon have been impact players, as well, averaging 13.1 points and 11.3 points respectively while Patrick Heckmann is scoring an average of 9.4 points per tilt.

N.C. State has also been playing its best basketball, posting seven consecutive wins and eight wins in its last 10 games. The Wolfpack were perfect in the month of December (7-0) and have not lost a game since Nov. 27 against No. 3 Michigan. Collectively, the Wolfpack are an incredibly talented shooting team -- the best in the nation, in fact -- that boasts a 53.5 percent mark from the floor as a team. C.J. Leslie, N.C. State's do-it-all leading scorer, is averaging 15.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 block while shooting 59.2 percent for the season. T.J. Warren (13.5 PPG) and Richard Howell (13.3 PPG, 9.6 RPG) are also having tremendous campaigns, shooting 69.4 and 66.7 percent, respectively.

Boston College and N.C. State are meeting for the 15th time, and the Eagles have an 8-6 edge in the all-time series. Since joining the ACC, BC is 5-6 against N.C. State. The Wolfpack captured all three meetings one year ago, winning two games during the regular season (76-62 and 56-51) and another in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, 78-57. Saturday's game will air on ESPN2.

For more Boston College basketball coverage, visit our blog, BC Interruption.