Dec. 23, 2009

Boston College Defeats Massachusetts, 79-67

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Juniors Corey Raji and Joe Trapani each scored 18 points and classmate Rakim Sanders totaled 15 points to lead Boston College to a 79-67 Commonwealth Classic victory over Massachusetts before 6,519 fans in Conte Forum.

Sophomore Reggie Jackson registered 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists (and no turnovers) for the Eagles. BC never trailed in the contest. With the score tied at 40-40, the host Eagles used a 16-4 run over a four-minute stretch (14:17 to 10:02) to gain a commanding 56-44 advantage. Raji scored eight points and Sanders handed out three assists in this decisive run.

BC maintained its 12-point advantage (60-48) for nearly three minutes, before the Minutemen rallied. Massachusetts ran off seven straight points - on five free throws and one field goal - to narrow the margin to five points with 4:53 to play.

Cavaliers Down Hampton 80-54

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Sylven Landesberg scored 14 points, grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds and dished out six assists to lead Virginia over Hampton 80-54 on Wednesday night. It was the first double-double of Landesberg's career.

Virginia (6-4) made a season-high 11 3-pointers and outrebounded Hampton 41-26. Sammy Zeglinski added 13 points as the Cavaliers won their second straight. The Pirates (2-10) were led by Kwame Morgan's 18 points. Virginia jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first six minutes, while Hampton committed six turnovers.

Two 3-pointers by Morgan helped Hampton close the gap to 15-8, but Virginia responded with a 25-10 onslaught, including 3-pointers by Zeglinski, Jeff Jones, Will Sherrill and Mustapha Farrakhan, to lead 40-18.

NC State Falls to Arizona, 76-74

TUCSON, Ariz. -Nic Wise drove the length of the court for a layup with 1 second remaining, and Arizona defeated North Carolina State 76-74 on Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (6-5) blew an 8-point lead in the final 37 seconds as the Wolfpack made two 3-pointers and converted on a three-point play.

But after North Carolina State's Javier Gonzalez barreled into the lane to tie it at 74-74, Wise, who finished with 17 points, weaved through a sea of red jerseys and laid the ball in.