Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Rutgers
Women's Basketball Holds Off Rutgers, 78-72
February 08, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2004
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Junior Jessalyn Deveny (Westford, Mass.) scored 26 points shooting 7-for-11 from the field and converted 11-of-12 free throws, while senior Amber Jacobs (Clarks Summit, Pa.) added 14 points and shot 7-for-7 from the line to lead Boston College in a 78-72 BIG EAST victory over Rutgers in front of 3,815 at Conte Forum Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles (16-5, 6-4), who never trailed in the game, held off a scoring barrage late in the game from Cappie Pondexter of Rutgers. Pondexter lead Rutgers and all scorers with a career-high 35 points and Shalicia Hurns added 10 points for the Scarlet Knights.
Boston College converted 32-of-40 free throws. The 32 free throws made are the most in program history, tying the standard set Feb. 12, 1997 against Notre Dame.
The Eagles shot 61.9 percent in the first half, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, and led 42-25 at the break. Deveny led Boston College with 12 first-half points.
The host Eagles maintained their advantage midway through the second half before Rutgers (13-8, 5-4) began its rally. Trailing 53-34 with 13:11 remaining in the game, the Scarlet Knights used a 23-12 run, culminating on Pondexter's traditional three-point play, to trim the lead to eight -- 65-57 -- with 4:00 to play.
The two teams traded baskets the rest of the way. Pondexter and the Scarlet Knights were able to cut the lead to as few as five with 15 seconds left to play, but Deveny made 4-of-4 free throws to thwart the Rutgers comeback. Pondexter scored 13 straight points in the game's final minutes for the Scarlet Knights.
Boston College converted 19-of-25 free throws in the second half of play and shot 53.8 percent from the field in the game. The Eagles are 11-1 this season when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor.
The game marked the fourth consecutive win at home for Boston College. The Eagles next take to the road for a 7:00 p.m. tilt with Georgetown in Washington, D.C.
