Boston College
New Hampshire
Men's Basketball Defeats New Hampshire, 67-57
November 10, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 10, 2007
Game Action 
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Freshman Rakim Sanders tallied a team-high 22 points and six rebounds and classmate Biko Paris recorded 19 points and a team-best five assists to lead Boston College to a season-opening 67-57 victory over New Hampshire before 4,876 fans in Conte Forum.
Paris played all 40 minutes, while Sanders played 35 minutes in his first collegiate start. Freshman Corey Raji contributed seven points and four rebounds in 20 minutes, and classmate Josh Southern totaled five points, three rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals in 18 minutes.
After New Hampshire closed the first half with a 15-2 run to claim a 28-26 advantage at the intermission, BC's freshman class stepped forward to hold off the Wildcats' upset hopes. The four freshmen - Sanders, Paris, Raji and Southern - scored 39 of BC's 41 second-half points.
UNH took a 39-35 lead on a Mike Christensen lay-in with 14:23 remaining in the second half. BC then used a 16-4 run to claim a 51-43 margin with 8:30 to play. Sanders led the rally with seven points.
New Hampshire trimmed the difference to three points three times in the closing minutes, before BC closed the game with a 9-2 run.
Game Notes: BC outrebounded New Hampshire, 39-34 ... Sophomore Tyler Roche totaled seven points, all in the first half ... Senior Tyrelle Blair contributed six points, four rebounds and three blocked shots in 22 minutes ... BC finished with six blocked shots and 10 steals ... BC played without junior Tyrese Rice and sophomore Shamari Spears. Both served one-game suspensions for playing in a non-NCAA certified game this past summer. Both will make their 2007-08 season debuts on Monday night against Florida Atlantic.
