NCAA

Boston College 62, Syracuse 59 (OT)

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Sports Editor
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SYRACUSE, NY — Boston College guard Lonnie Jackson coolly sank four foul shots in the final 26 seconds of overtime as the Eagles stunned No. 1 and previously unbeaten Syracuse University 62-59 on Wednesday in the Carrier Dome.

The Orange dropped to 25-1 overall and 12-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference while Boston College improved to 7-19, 3-10.

Guard Olivier Hanlan paced the Eagles with 20 points while guard C.J. Fair led Syracuse with 20 as well.

With the Eagles nursing a 58-57 lead with 26 seconds left, Jackson dropped in a set of foul shots for a 60-57 cushion.

Syracuse forward Rakeem Christmas hit a layup with 21 seconds remaining to bring the Orange within a point. But Jackson added two more at the charity stripe with 11 seconds left, and Syracuse guard Trevor Cooney’s attempt to tie the game with a 3-pointer with six seconds left misfired.

Guard Patrick Heckmann lifted the Eagles back on top with 44 seconds left on a layup for a 58-57 Boston College advantage. Syracuse guard C.J. Fair failed on his bid to put the Orange back on top when he missed a running shot with 29 seconds remaining.

Syracuse guard Tyler Ennis hung three points on the scoreboard to push his team up 57-56 with 1:12 left in overtime. His fast-break layup tied the game at 56 with 2:12 left, and a minute later he drained a foul shot for the slim, temporary lead.

Heckmann bottomed out another 3-pointer with 2:55 left in overtime to pad Boston College’s lead to 56-52. But Orange forward Rakeem Christmas hit two foul shots to slice the deficit to 56-54.

Hanlan got his team off to a running start at the beginning of the extra period with a 3-pointer, but Fair countered in quick fashion that pulled the Orange within a point with 4:16 remaining.

The Orange had the last two cracks at ending the game in regulation. Ennis missed a layup with 27 ticks left but grabbed the offensive rebound.

After an Orange timeout, forward Rakeem Christmas misfired on a jumper with two seconds left.

Hanlan tied the contest by cutting through the Syracuse defense for an easy lay-in with 47 seconds left for a 50-50 draw. That was the answer to Syracuse forward Jerami Grant’s short, spinning jumper that put his team up 50-48 with 1:17 left.

Grant brought his team within a point on a free throw with 3:15 remaining. Christmas added one more foul shot with 2:23 remaining to even the score at 48-all.

Heckmann set up the late drama with a steal and a layup that pushed his team ahead 48-46 with 3:15 remaining. That cut off a mini-run by Ennis, who tied the game at 46 on a jumper with 5:56 remaining and a layup 44 seconds later.

The Eagles scrapped back from a six-point deficit halfway through the second half to tie the game at 41 with 8:07 remaining. Forward Ryan Anderson sank a jumper with 10:20 left to draw the Eagles within 38-34, and Christmas responded with a foul shot.

Hanlan was successful on two foul shots to edge the Eagles within 39-36. Christmas returned the favor with two free throws of his own to make in 41-36 with 9:09 left.

But Eagles guard Joe Rahon hit a three and Anderson dropped in a layup to reset the scoreboard at 41 apiece heading into the game’s home stretch.

Syracuse led 25-17 after a first half in which both teams stumbled through stretches of unimpressive marksmanship.

NOTES: Former Syracuse star Dwayne “Pearl” Washington was honored by the school at halftime. … Orange C Baye Moussa Keita returned after missing two games with a sprained right knee. … The Eagles were making their first visit to the Carrier Dome since 2004.

Alan is an experienced writer of online betting and casino guides. He is one of the main editors of Basketballinsiders.

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