Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Back in rankings, Notre Dame visits Boston College (Feb 14, 2017)

Published Feb. 13, 2017 5:04 p.m. ET

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AP

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Back in the Top 25 after a one-week absence, Notre Dame goes for its 20th victory of the season at Boston College on Tuesday night.

A four-game losing streak knocked the Fighting Irish (19-7, 8-5 ACC) out of the rankings, but Notre Dame started last week with a win over Wake Forest and forced its way into the No. 25 spot by downing then-No. 14 Florida State 83-80 on Saturday in South Bend, Ind.

"It's huge," guard Rex Pflueger said after his team disposed of Florida State for its second win of the season over a ranked team. "We're clicking at the right time going into this final stretch of ACC play."

Bonzie Colson had a career day Saturday, scoring a career-best 33 points and grabbing 13 rebounds -- his 16th double-double of the season -- while hurdling the 1,000-point plateau.

"Right now he's in an unbelievable groove," said Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. "I actually turned to (assistant) coach (Rod) Balanis and said, 'You think he can get 40 tonight?' I just felt that good about him. He's getting it in areas where they can't guard him and he's sticking the three, he's making free throws.

"That was one of the great performances in our program's history against a big-time team on national TV. What a delivery."

On Tuesday night, Colson returns to Boston College, where his dad was an assistant coach under Al Skinner. The Irish go for their third straight win and face a floundering Eagles team that carries a nine-game losing streak and 11 losses in the last 12 games into this matchup with the school's natural football rival.

At Georgia Tech on Saturday, the Eagles (9-17, 2-11) jumped to a 20-5 lead over 12:57 as the Yellow Jackets couldn't find the basket (2-for-24). But the home team outscored the visitors 60-34 the rest of the way. Boston College fell to 0-6 on the road in the conference this season and extended its road losing streak in the league to 15.

"It's pretty frustrating," said Jerome Robinson, who led the Eagles with 17 points. "This one was tough, especially having a 15-point lead in the first half. All we have to do is keep fighting and go on to the next game."

Robinson is fourth in the ACC in scoring at 19.4 points per game. Point guard Ky Bowman is one of three freshmen in the country with three 30-point games.

Colson, the ACC player of the week (for the second time this season), leads the conference in rebounding, is fourth in blocked shots, seventh in field goal and free throw percentage and 11th in scoring.

Other Irish players among the ACC leaders: Matt Farrell is second in the league in 3-point percentage, third in assists and ninth in assist/turnover ratio; Steve Vasturia leads in free-throw percentage; and V.J. Beachem is 10th in made 3-pointers.

Against Florida State, the Irish limited Seminoles star Jonathan Isaac to four points and six rebounds -- after the predicted NBA lottery pick had 23 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks the first time the teams met in an FSU win.

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