Syracuse Basketball: Derryck Thornton expected to return vs Orange

Boston College’s leading scorer, Derryck Thornton, is expected to return vs Syracuse basketball on Wednesday night. Here are all the details.

Syracuse basketball will try to build on its momentous win vs Virginia last week when they line up against Boston College on Wednesday night in the dome.

The chances of that happening took a hit on Wednesday morning with some big injury news involving Boston College guard Derryck Thornton.

On Wednesday morning Josh Maurer, the Voice of the Boston College Eagles joined Boy Green on The Score 1260 and shared the details:

"“Derryck Thornton if you’re a real rabid ACC fan you might remember the name because he started out at Duke. He was one of the top-15 recruits in the country and he was expected to be one of those one-and-done guys for the Blue Devils but it never worked out.He ended up playing one year for Duke then transferred over to USC for a few years then graduated and came to Boston College as a grad-transfer.During that time he’s been the lead point guard for BC. He leads the team in scoring (13.3 points per game), assists (3.4 assists per game), and he’s been out for the last two games. During that time the Eagles have had to put together a hodgepodge lineup of guys.Tonight Thornton should be back, that’s the word. If nothing else even if he’s not at 100 percent just having that healthy body will help the depth of Boston College.”"

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound grad-transfer has had a unique path the last several years but has seemingly found the perfect situation here with the Eagles.

Derryck is playing some of the best ball of his career with BC in 2019-20: averaging a career-high 39.1 percent from the field, career-high 3.1 boards per game, career-high 1.5 steals per game, and of course a career-high 13.3 points per contest.

Although since he left Duke in 2015-16, his three-point percentage has exponentially decreased each of his four seasons playing college hoops. This year he’s averaging a career-low 25 percent from long range.

If he returns to the court tonight, as expected, he’ll provide a legitimate scoring presence for BC in addition to what he’ll provide the team emotionally in a hostile environment in the Carrier Dome upon his return to the hardwood.

Also during the conversation with Josh Maurer, Voice of BC, we confirmed that big man Nik Popovic who has been missing the last month with a back injury for the Eagles will not be available vs the Orange.

The 6-foot-11 senior has missed the last seven games for Boston College and has had some big games vs the Orange in the past.