Boston College basketball 2014-15 season preview

Overview: Following a catastrophic 2013-14 season in which Boston College finished second-to-last in the ACC and head coach Steve Donahue was fired, the Eagles look to rebound led by new head coach Jim Christian. With star guard Olivier Hanlan—who averaged 18.5 points per game—electing to return for his junior year, Boston College has a chance to surprise some teams this year if Hanlan's supporting cast improves.

The Eagles also return starters Lonnie Jackson and Patrick Heckmann, who were fourth and fifth in scoring on last year’s team, but will have to replace the production of big man Ryan Anderson, the team's top rebounder and second leading scorer. Boston College doesn't play a true road game until it opens conference play at No. 4 Duke Jan. 3, the team's first major test of the year. The Eagles will need to build the confidence of inexperienced role players with a brutal conference schedule looming in the latter part of the season.

One thing that needs to go right: Starters Jackson and Heckmann and Eddie Odio off the bench need to support Hanlan in the backcourt if the Eagles are to bounce back this season.

One thing that could go wrong: Boston College could falter against Massachusetts, Providence and Southern California during a lengthy home stretch at the start of the season and could enter ACC play battling both confidence issues and superior competition.