Boston College
Providence*
Men's Basketball Tops Providence, 69-60
January 08, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2005
By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (AP) - Sean Williams had career highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Craig Smith had 18 points and 13 rebounds on Saturday night to help No. 25 Boston College extend its school-record start with a 69-60 victory over Providence.
Boston College fell behind 54-53 before Williams, a freshman, scored six points during an 8-2 run that gave his team the lead for good. The Eagles (13-0, 2-0 Big East), one of four remaining unbeaten teams in Division I, had never opened the season with 13 wins and have not won 13 straight since a record 19-game winning streak in 1968-69.
Ryan Gomes, the preseason Big East player of the year, had a season-high 26 points for Providence (9-5, 0-1), but he was the only Friar in double digits. Three of Providence's losses are to ranked teams.
Williams' previous career highs were eight points and seven rebounds.
Gomes scored nine of Providence's first 11 points in the second half during an 11-3 run that gave the Friars a 50-38 lead with 16:07 to play. But the Eagles scored 15 of the next 17 points to take a 53-52 lead with 9:11 left.
Herbert Hill's putback gave Providence the lead with 8:29 left before Williams scored on a follow-up slam to put Boston College ahead. Smith scored on a drive to make it 57-54 before Randall Hanke made a layup with 4:14 left - Providence's final basket of the game.
The Eagles closed the game with a 12-4 run as Providence made just two field goals over the last 13:10.
Boston College's victory ended an odd streak in the series: Neither team had won at home in the previous four games over two seasons.
