8 p.m. at Boston College in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge • ESPN2, 100.3-FM

U goes from west (Vancouver) to east (Boston)

Preview: The Gophers (5-0) will be trying to win their fourth straight game away from home. They finished 3-0 in the Vancouver Showcase after a 68-66 victory against Washington last Wednesday in the title game. Sixth-year coach Richard Pitino is 4-1 in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge after losing at home to No. 10 Miami last season. The Eagles (4-1) won the inaugural Fort Myers Tip-Off with a 78-66 victory over Loyola-Chicago on Wednesday. They have bounced back with two straight wins after a disappointing 76-69 loss to IUPUI in their last home game on Nov. 14. This will be the first meeting between the Gophers and Eagles.

Players to watch: Gophers senior forward Jordan Murphy was named MVP of the Vancouver Showcase after averaging 15.7 points and 11.7 rebounds in three games. Murphy is now the school's all-time leading rebounder with 970 in his career, which surpassed Mychal Thompson's record of 956. Boston College senior Ky Bowman is averaging 21.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Bowman scored 24 of his career-best 38 points (7-for-12 from three-point range) in the first half of a win against Wyoming in Florida. The 6-foot-1 guard was named Fort Myers Tip-Off MVP.

Numbers: Sophomore forward Steffon Mitchell, a former Shakopee High standout, leads Boston College with 8.8 rebounds per game, while posting three double-figure rebounding games this season. He grabbed a season-best 14 rebounds in Boston College's Nov. 6 opener against Milwaukee.

MARCUS FULLER