On a day when Boston College was “Recognizing Greatness,” the Eagles’ delivered a outstanding victory.
BC closed out the competition with a 17-4 run to beat Miami 85-77 earlier than a capability crowd of 8,606 on Saturday at Conte Forum. BC improved to 15-10 and 6-8 with its second win on the homestand whereas the Canes dropped to 15-11 and 6-9. BC resumes play on Feb. 20 at Florida State.
BC shot 47.5% from the ground with 15 three-pointers, 37 rebounds and 15 assists. Senior guard Mason Madsen led BC with a profession excessive 25 factors that included seven made three-point photographs. Quinten Post scored 23 with six rebounds.
“We were pursuing 40 minutes of BC basketball,” mentioned Madsen. “Miami is a very talented basketball team and we needed every single shot we made tonight and feels good to come out a win.”
BC held a Black History Month ceremony at halftime to posthumously retire the jersey John Austin, this system’s first African-American participant and first All-American. Austin wore three totally different numbers (10, 12, 30) throughout his time on the Heights and his banner unfurled alongside Troy Bell and under John Bagley.
The 1993-1994 BC staff that superior to the Elite 8 was additionally honored on the thirtieth anniversary of this system’s deepest run within the NCAA event. Newly employed soccer coach Bill O’Brien was sitting courtside, which additional juiced the home.
Austin, a 6-1 guard, performed from 1963-1966 and instantly established himself as one of many high scorers within the nation. Austin averaged 29.2 factors per recreation as a sophomore, 26.9 as a junior and 25.4 as a senior. Austin posted these lofty numbers previous to the NCAA’s introduction of the 3-point shot in 1986. He was inducted into the BC Hall of Fame in 1972.
“He kind of blazed a trail for all the student athletes after him,” mentioned BC coach Earl Grant. “To be able to attract him here was a big deal and I’m really proud of the impact he made as a student athlete here.”
Tied at 41 on the break, each groups started the second half with renewed power and urgency and it confirmed up on the scoreboard. Madsen, who made his third straight begin, drained a pair for downtown to provide BC and 57-56 lead into the primary media timeout.
The recreation developed right into a take no prisoners affair that went backwards and forwards. Guard Jaeden Zackery (11) reduce the Canes’ result in 73-72 on a contentious drive with 4:21 to play. Down by 5, BC ran off 9 straight to take a 77-73 lead on a 3-ball by Madsen with 2:12 to play. There was no stopping the BC run after that.
“There a couple of things and one was to knock down a couple of free throws,” mentioned Grant. “Two, we switched out defense and went to a match-up zone 2-2-1. I thought we got critical stops back, to back, to back and is disrupted some of their rhythm.”
BC seldom will get off to a quick begin, however the Eagles drained 4 of six from behind the arc to take a 18-7 lead into the primary media timeout. Madsen accounted for 2 throughout the run. The Canes took benefit some errant BC passes and reduce the result in 21-16 on the second timeout.
“That was a great start and that progress,” mentioned Grant. “We’ve been talking about getting off to a great start and not be on the other side of it and I’m really proud we were able to do that.”
Miami loved 12-8 surge and reduce BC’s result in 29-28 on a 3-ball by Bensley Joseph with 8:22 to play. Miami took its first lead, 31-30, on a turnaround jumper within the paint by Matthew Cleveland 6:07 to play.
Source: www.bostonherald.com