Ranked No. 14 in the country to start the season, Boston College’s basketball team lost favor with the voters early.

The Eagles, who opened with a victory over New Hampshire, then suffered consecutive losses to Vermont and at Providence, take a 9-2 record but no national ranking into today’s 1 p.m. clash at No. 11 Kansas.

“I think their whole team is pretty underrated to be honest with you,” KU coach Bill Self said, nodding in the affirmative when asked if sophomore Tyrese Rice was one of the most underrated point guards in the country.

The Eagles, who did not have shot-blocker Sean Williams for the home loss to Vermont, have won six straight games and are back to receiving votes in the AP poll, just five slots from the top 25.

“Coach said they were as good as Florida, probably better,” KU freshman Darrell Arthur said. “We have to come out and attack them like we did Florida, come out with a lot of energy and have fun when playing, too.

“Their starting five is averaging over 10 points a game. We’ve got to buckle down on defense,” Arthur added.

All-America candidate Jared Dudley averages a team-leading 19.3 points a game and is followed by Rice (14.3), Sean Marshall (13.2), Williams (11.9) and Shamari Spears (9.3).

Williams, who averages 5.4 blocks per game, needs 13 blocks to pass Burnett Adams as the school’s all-time rejection leader.

He had a school-record 12 blocks in a loss at Providence.

“Sean Williams is a freak athlete,” Arthur said. “He blocks a lot of shots. They have some great guards, too.”

Williams had five blocks in a victory over Michigan State. He fouled out with 6.8 seconds to play.

“People have got to start to recognize this kid is an outstanding shot blocker, not good but outstanding,” B.C. coach Al Skinner told the Boston Globe after the Eagles’ 65-58 win over the Spartans on Nov. 29.

Williams, who scores most of his points off dunks, is a 61.4 percent shooter.

“For the first time, I’m an offensive option,” Williams told the Boston Herald. “I’ve had to adjust and tried to be more aggressive.”

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Big game: The Jayhawks, who will break for Christmas after the game and return for practice the 26th, realize a victory would make it an extra happy holiday.

“I think it’d be a big, big, big, big confidence builder to get a win over Boston College,” KU sophomore Brandon Rush said. “I think this game will be one of the more competitive we play in a while, since Florida. I think it’d be a great statement if we play our type of game and get a big ‘W.'”

Rush, who may guard B.C. standout Jared Dudley, said he was fired up for the contest, which will be shown nationally on CBS.

“I think everybody on our team steps play up big when you play higher competition like Boston College,” Rush said. “Guarding Dudley is motivation to play harder.”

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Teammates: B.C. senior Dudley, who grew up in San Diego, played AAU ball as a teammate of KU’s Mario Chalmers.

“He was one of the youngest kids there,” Dudley said. “Most of the guys I played with or against in high school, like Jordan Farmar stayed and went to UCLA, Nick Young at USC, Brian Kennedy at Oregon. So a lot of them stayed on the West Coast. I just did my own thing (in heading East).”