Jairus Hamilton’s career-high 23 points lifts BC over Tech

BOSTON (AP) — Jairus Hamilton scored a career-high 23 points, Jay Heath added 15 points and Boston College snapped a four-game losing with a 61-56 victory over Virginia Tech Saturday afternoon.
Jared Hamilton had his only two baskets of the game in the final 3½ minutes for the Eagles (10-10, 4-5 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Landers Nolley II led the Hokies (14-6, 5-4) with 15 points and Nahiem Alleyne added 10. Virginia Tech had won four of its last five games and its previous five against BC.
Virginia Tech had opened a six-point lead with 8½ minutes to play, but the Eagles sliced it to 49-48 on Jairus Hamilton’s 3 from the right wing with 5:05 left. Steffon Mitchell went to the line with a chance to put BC ahead on the next possession, but he missed both free throws.
But Jairus Hamilton did end BC’s miserable day temporarily at the free-throw line at the end of the next possession, hitting both to give the Eagles a 50-49 edge. They had missed 10 of their initial 15 from the line.
Jared Hamilton the hit consecutive jumpers, making it 54-51, the second a one-handed runner from the right baseline.
Jairus Hamilton added a 3 from the top, pushing BC in front 57-53 with just over two minutes left.
BC had trailed by five at halftime, but tied it at 35 on Derryck Thornton’s 3-pointer. The teams were also tied at 37 before Virginia Tech went on a 7-1 spree.
The Hokies had opened a 10-point lead in the first half en route to a 31-26 edge at intermission despite eight turnovers for a team that averages just over nine a game.
BIG PICTURE
Virginia Tech: The Hokies are one of the league’s biggest surprises. Picked to finish near the bottom in the preseason poll, they’re playing very well despite young players getting a lot of minutes. They have four players that are freshman and two red-shirt freshmen.
Boston College: The Eagles desperately needed a victory to end their slide before tough matchups against national powers Louisville and Duke sandwiched around a game against struggling North Carolina.
BELL MOMENT
BC retired the jersey of former two-time All-American guard Troy Bell at halftime,
He’s still the school’s all-time leading scorer (2,632 points). He played for the Eagles from 1999-2003 and won the Big East rookie of the year award.
“I never envisioned this moment,” he said at a morning press conference, standing on the court. “I had great teammates and coaches. We were having a great time, doing something we would have done for free. To be here and being honored is amazing.”
HARDLY FREE
The Eagles hit just 11 of their 27 free throws.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech: At Miami on Tuesday.
Boston College: Hosts No. 6 Louisville Wednesday.
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