I'm almost positive I've been to a Boston College basketball game before. I don't remember who they played, but I remember being at Conte Forum before.

It's possible it was for a hockey game, but I'm pretty sure I saw basketball there too.

But I'm absolutely sure I haven't been there since they moved from the Big East to the ACC.

And on Saturday I saw my first ACC Basketball game - Clemson at Boston College.

I know. ACC Basketball is Duke-North Carolina. Maryland-NC State. Even Miami makes better sense there than Boston College. But BC-Clemson it was. (You might ask why, in a season in which BC hosts both North Carolina and Duke, I'd go to a BC-Clemson game. The answer is North Carolina was at 9 o'clock on a Tuesday night - too late on a school night for me and the people I was going with to handle - and BC handles Duke games in such a way that you have to buy tickets to multiple games in order to be able to buy tickets to the Duke game. So that was out of the question.)

Clemson came into the game in sixth place in the conference. BC, meanwhile (and much to my pleasure, considering my BU roots), was below .500 and in the basement of the ACC.

Considering all that, this game was a surprise. BC took an 11-point lead into the half, and built that lead to 20 in the second half, with a 15-to-17-point lead most of the second half. Then Clemson came alive, making for an exciting final 4 minutes, actually getting to within one point, and then was a missed three away from tying the game before eventually losing by 7.

I have to admit - much to my surprise, Conte Forum was a nice facility for basketball. (I'm realizing now that maybe I haven't been there before for basketball...maybe just hockey.) I expected to see a facility that in my mind would be a far cry from what I imagine other ACC courts to be...but it can hold its own. It was a good place to watch a game, with good scoreboards and stats visible.

It was not a huge crowd, probably because it was noon on a Saturday. I'm sure when the crowd is into it the game experience becomes even more enjoyable. I might find out if I tune in on television next Sunday evening....that's when BC hosts Duke.