Donald Hand Jr. scored a career-high 16 points to lead Boston College to an 82-68 nonconference victory over Central Connecticut on Tuesday night in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Mason Madsen tossed in 15 points and Quinten Post finished with 13 for the Eagles, who had lost three of their past four games. BC (6-3) received 11 points, six assists and four steals from Jaeden Zackery.
Allan Jeanne-Rose and Jordan Jones each scored a game-high 19 points for Central Connecticut (3-5). Jeanne-Rose also had a game-high 12 rebounds.
Tre Breland (12 points) and Jayden Brown (11) also scored in double figures for the Blue Devils, who scored the game’s final 14 points. The loss ended Central Connecticut’s two-game winning streak.
BC guard Claudell Harris Jr. didn’t play because of an ankle injury he sustained during Saturday’s 84-78 overtime loss to North Carolina State. Harris is averaging 13.5 points per game and is the team’s second-leading scorer.
Boston College had its first double-digit lead when Post made a 3-pointer that put the Eagles up 18-8 with 13:14 remaining in the first half. The Eagles outscored the Blue Devils 9-0 over the final 2:44 of the half and had a 49-23 halftime lead. The 26-point margin was BC’s largest lead in the half.
BC shot 62.1 percent from the field in the first half (18 of 29) and made seven of its 13 3-point attempts. The Eagles also had a 22-0 advantage in points off the bench.
The hosts stretched their lead to 63-30 when a Hand free throw capped a 12-2 run with 12:26 to play. The 33-point lead was BC’s largest of the game.
Central Connecticut was within 21 points, 70-49, following a 13-2 run with 6:59 to play.
BC guard Fred Payne suffered what appeared to be a serious injury to his left knee with 4:51 to play and had to be helped off the court. He went straight to the locker room.
–Field Level Media