Boston College
Sacred Heart
Men's Basketball Defeats Sacred Heart, 72-70
December 14, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2003
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Sophomore forward Craig Smith scored 16 points, including eight in the game's decisive final five minutes, to lead Boston College to a nail-biting 72-70 non-league win over Sacred Heart before 2,434 fans in Conte Forum.
Sacred Heart had three chances to even the score in the final 32 seconds, but couldn't convert. Kibwe Trim missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity with 32 seconds to play, Omar Wellington had a three-point chance blocked by BC's Uka Agbai, and Mike Queenan missed a two-point attempt in the final second. Smith grabbed the game's final rebound.
Boston College led 54-37 with 13:11 remaining in the game, before the visiting Pioneers used a 24-6 run to gain a 61-60 advantage with 5:07 left on the clock. Smith then recorded back-to-back baskets to regain the lead for the Eagles. After Sacred Heart answered with a field goal, Smith sank two free throws to give BC a 66-63 margin.
A Louis Hinnant field goal extended the home team's lead to five points, but the Pioneers hit a three-pointer to stay within striking distance. Agbai, a senior who earlier in the game notched his 1000th career point, made one free throw to give BC a 69-66 lead with 2:08 to play.
A field goal by SHU's Trim trimmed the BC margin to one point with 2:01 remaining, but two Smith free throws and one free throw by Jermaine Watson gave the host Eagles a 72-68 cushion.
Trim cut the Sacred Heart deficit to two points with a lay-in with 1:10 to play. BC failed to score on two subsequent possessions -- missing a field-goal attempt and turning the ball over -- giving the visitors their last opportunities.
Freshman Jared Dudley led BC with 17 points and eight rebounds. Sacred Heart senior guard Maurice Bailey, who also netted his 1000th career point in the game, scored a game-high 27 points.
Game Notes: BC shot 52.8 percent from the field ... Dudley shot 8-for-9 from the field, raising his season field-goal percentage to 68.2 ... Hinnant handed out a career-high nine assists and committed just one turnover in 27 minutes of action ... BC was credited with 19 assists on 28 baskets ... Smith added seven rebounds and four steals in 36 minutes.
Some notes from Troy Bell's NBA debut: Bell made his on-court debut with 4:59 remaining in the fourth quarter of Memphis' home win over New Jersey on Saturday, Dec. 13. He registered five points, one rebound, one assist, one personal foul and one turnover in five minutes of action. He shot 1-for-2 from the field and 3-for-3 from the foul line. Interestingly enough, Bell tallied his first professional points when he hit all three free throws after being fouled on a three-point field goal attempt with 3:15 remaining on the clock. Being fouled on a three-pointer is nothing new to Bell. In 122 collegiate games, Bell was fouled on 65 three-point attempts.
