Boston College
Duquesne
Men's Baskeball Downs Duquesne, 81-69
December 27, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2005
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Craig Smith scored 21 points and held off a late Duquesne comeback bid by scoring on three consecutive Boston College possessions, leading the No. 13 Eagles to an 81-69 victory Tuesday night aided by backup forward Akida McLain's 17 points.
Sean Marshall added 13 points and Jared Dudley and reserve Tyrese Rice had 10 each to help the Eagles (9-2) win their third in a row, but it was McLain who got them going during a 16-4 run midway through the second half that built their lead to 15 points at 64-59.
McLain played high school basketball in suburban Pittsburgh and, until the Eagles began working the ball inside to Smith late in the game, often looked like the only Boston College player who was very interested in the game. The Eagles' poor free throw shooting - 11 of 25 - also prevented them from pulling away until late despite their obvious advantage in size and talent.
Smith, who scored 30 points against Duquesne last season in an 88-70 victory, scored nine of his 11 points in the second half in the final 5:33 of play. His three consecutive baskets came in a span of 1 minutes, 14 seconds and made it 74-60 with 3:37 remaining.
Duquesne (2-7), which lost earlier this season to Arkansas-Pine Bluff at home by nine points and to Youngstown State by 21, led late in the first half at 28-26 and was down by only three points before McLain gave the Eagles a big lift.
McLain, a 6-foot-8 sophomore suspended for the first seven games this season for violating team rules, nearly equaled his previous season total of 19 points. McLain's putback made it 52-45 after Dudley had a tipin and a driving layup, and McLain later added two free throws, a layup and a three-point play.
McLain had scored in double figures only once previously, 11 against Texas Southern, and scored four each in the other two games he played.
Bryant McAllister led Duquesne with 17 points, but was held without a field goal while scoring all six of his points in the second half at the foul line. Keith Gayden added 15, DeVario Hudson 14 and Aaron Jackson 10 for Duquesne.
Boston College played in Pittsburgh almost annually during its years in the Big East, but this was its first game at Duquesne since Jan. 27, 1972. The Dukes played an Atlantic Coast Conference team at home for only the second time since they opened the A.J. Palumbo Center in 1988; the other game was an upset of then-No. 10 Florida State in 1992.
Duquesne has lost 17 consecutive games against ranked opponents since beating Xavier on Jan. 25, 1997.
The Dukes played without senior guard Jack Higgins for unspecified reasons. Higgins, who averages 9.3 points, was held out by coach Danny Nee but apparently was not suspended.
