Dec. 28, 2007

Final Stats

CHESTNUT HILL, MA - Tyrese Rice and Shamari Spears had 16 points apiece and combined to go 10-10 from the free throw line in the final minute to help the Boston College Eagles escape with an 80-75 win over visiting Sacred Heart University on Friday night.

Sacred Heart, 4-8, jumped out to a quick 11-6 lead three minutes into the game thanks to a pair of threes by senior Luke Granato. BC, 9-2, took its first lead with 13:56 to left in the first half at 17-15 on a dunk by Rakim Sanders off a SHU turnover.

The Pioneers retook the lead at 26-24 with 8:24 to go in the half on a Brice Brooks layup. The Eagles then used a 15-2 run to take a 39-28 lead with 2:42 remaining. Another Granato trey cut the BC lead to eight. Rice drove a stake into the Pioneer hearts with a long three as three buzzer sounded to end the half, giving the Eagles a 44-31 intermission lead.

Sacred Heart came out flat to start the second half and the Eagles took advantage, running the lead up to 17 at 58-41 6:30 into the period.

Trailing by 16, 70-54, with 7:13 left in the game the Pioneers turned up the defensive pressure and regained their hot hand. Ryan Litke buried a three to cut it to 13 and then stole the inbound pass. He canned another long-range bomb and suddenly SHU trailed by just ten at 70-60 with 6:26 to go.

Freshman Mehmet Sahan gave the Pioneers a lift and back-to-back inside hoops had SHU within five at 70-65. A Litke trey and a Brooks layup with :50 left cut the BC lead to 74-70, but the Pioneers were forced to foul and Rice and Spears didn't let the Eagles down.

Brooks hit a three with :11 left that put SHU down just 78-75, but the Pioneers were out of timeouts Spears hit a couple of free throws after being fouled to put SHU away.

The Pioneers shot 53 percent from the field (31-58) and 55 percent from three (11-20), but went to the free throw line just four times. BC was 23-30 from the line (77%).