ACC: Boston College thwarts Maryland's NCAA aspirations
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tyrese Rice scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and Boston College snapped a six-game losing streak with a 71-68 comeback win over sloppy Maryland on Thursday in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Rakim Sanders, with 13 points, was one of four other players in double figures for the 11th-seeded Eagles (14-16), who rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to advance to play third-seeded Clemson on Friday.
James Gist scored 19 points and the Terrapins (18-14) shot 52 percent but committed 21 turnovers to end their NCAA tournament hopes with their fifth loss in six games.
The Eagles, who came in having lost 12 of 13 games, fell behind 20-5 and 36-25 to start the second half, only to come back behind their dynamic point guard and his young teammates.
It was another inconsistent night for the sixth-seeded Terrapins, who have perplexed excitable coach Gary Williams all season. After consecutive home losses to Ohio and American early in the season, they won three consecutive ACC road games, including at top-ranked North Carolina to get into NCAA tournament contention.
Then Maryland began to slide again, including a stunning collapse at home against Clemson when the Terrapins squandered a 20-point lead with 11 minutes left. Full story
Miami 63, N.C. State 50
James Dews scored 14 points to lead the fifth-seeded Hurricanes (22-9), who advanced to Friday's quarterfinals to face fourth-seeded Virginia Tech as they continue to chase an NCAA tournament berth.
J.J. Hickson had 27 points and 14 rebounds for the 12th-seeded Wolfpack (15-16), who turned in an offensive performance befitting its last-place ACC finish in a miserable season. Picked to finish third in the league, N.C. State shot only 34 percent, including 2-for-15 from 3-point range, and relied entirely on its star freshman to make every play.
It was Miami's third consecutive first-round tournament win, while N.C. State suffered its ninth consecutive loss. Its last victory came against the Hokies on Feb. 5.
Miami didn't do all that much offensively, either. The Hurricanes shot 37 percent and 1-for-9 from 3-point range, while first-team all-conference performer Jack McClinton finished with eight points -- nine below his season average.
Florida State 70, Wake Forest 60
Jason Rich scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half to lead the ninth-seeded Seminoles (19-13).
Ralph Mims added 16 points for FSU, which shot 45 percent to win their ACC tournament opener for the second successive year. Once again, their reward is a quarterfinal matchup with top-seeded North Carolina on Friday.
Jeff Teague scored 15 points to lead No. 8 seed Wake Forest (17-13), which trailed almost the entire way after winning both regular-season meetings by an average of 12.5 points.
Rich almost single-handedly put the game away by scoring 15 of Florida State's 17 points -- including 10 in a row -- during one 4½-minute stretch midway through the second half.
Georgia Tech 94, Virginia 76
Anthony Morrow scored 18 points in his return to his hometown for the seventh-seeded Yellow Jackets (15-16). Jeremis Smith also scored 18 points as Georgia Tech shot 56.9 percent, knocked down 54 percent of their 3-pointers and won their third in a row.
Sean Singletary had 20 points and 10 assists and Mamadi Diane added 18 points while making his first seven shots for No. 10 seed Virginia (15-15), which lost its league tournament opener for the second successive year.
Maurice Miller and Zack Peacock added 14 points apiece and Alade Aminu finished with 11 for the Yellow Jackets, who avoided their third consecutive opening-game loss since they fell to Duke in the 2005 championship game. They'll play second-seeded Duke in Friday's quarterfinals.
Georgia Tech finally created some separation in this one midway through the second half. After Singletary tied it for the last time when his jumper in the lane made it 59-59 with 11:43 left, the Cavaliers were held to one field goal during the 6½-minute span that followed.
