BC beats Notre Dame 94-90 for Spinelli's 1st coaching win
AP
Feb 27, 2021
BOSTON (AP) Jay Heath scored 19 points and Boston College Eagles sank seven of eight free throws in the final 45 seconds to beat Notre Dame Fighting Irish 94-90 on Saturday and give interim coach Scott Spinelli a victory in his first game as a college head coach.
DeMarr Langford had 17 points and six rebounds, making a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left after the Fighting Irish cut a 12-point second-half deficit to two, 90-88. He sank two more foul shots with 6 seconds left to ice it.
''A great win, but even more that that was how enjoyable that was for the seniors,'' said Spinelli, who had spent most of the past 25 years as an assistant before taking over when Jim Christian was fired.
''They deserved an opportunity to have a fun locker room,'' said Spinelli, who started two senior walk-ons in the Eagles' final home game. ''It really is gratifying to watch their locker room celebration and how they responded after the win.''
Makai Ashton-Langford had 18 points and six assists, and Frederick Scott scored 18 points in his first game since injuring his knee in November. Steffon Mitchell added eight rebounds for the Eagles (4-13, 2-9 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won for the first time since Jan. 12 and in its first game since Christian was fired on Feb. 15.
''Shout out to Jim Christian. He set all of this up for us,'' Ashton-Langford said. ''They bring two different types of energy to the game. (Spinelli) is more of a jumpy guy, and that's what it took for us to win.''
Prentiss Hubb scored 23 of his 28 points in the second half - including three layups in the final minute - adding seven assists and five rebounds for Notre Dame (9-13, 6-10). Trey Wertz scored 17 and Nate Laszewski added nine rebounds for the Irish.
''I just think this was the ultimate trap game,'' Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. ''Let's be honest: We got trapped in the bear trap. ... They had a new coach and great spirit.''
BC led 74-62 with seven minutes left before the Irish scored on two Hubb layups and one by Dane Goodwin to make it a six-point game. They cut it to five points with two minutes left and to four, 86-82, with 48 seconds remaining after BC missed three straight free throws to start the final minute.
But the Eagles converted seven of their next eight to hold on.
MARTIANS
Spinelli started senior walk-ons Sam Holtze and Will Jackowitz for their final home game.
Jackowitz grabbed a rebound but missed the only shot he took; Holtze made a 3-pointer to open the game, setting off a large celebration on the BC bench. The two scout team players - known as ''Martians'' for the green jerseys they wear in practice - were greeted with hugs and high fives after leaving the game two minutes in.
''They do an unbelievable job preparing our players,'' Spinelli said. ''It's a thankless job, but they contributed a lot to helping out team get better.''
BALL PROTECTION
BC did not turn the ball over in the first half and did not commit its first turnover until Heath had ball the stripped with 16 minutes left in second. They finished with five turnovers in the game.
''They told us we had zero at half,'' Ashton-Langford said. ''We were trying to keep it at zero.''
UP NEXT
Notre Dame: Hosts North Carolina State on Wednesday and No. 11 Florida State on Saturday.
Boston College: Finishes the regular season at Florida State and Miami, on Wednesday and Friday.
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1st Half
ND
Fighting Irish
35
BC
Eagles
42
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Nate Laszewski vs. Will Jackowitz (Prentiss Hubb gains possession)
19:56
Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot
19:54
Will Jackowitz defensive rebound
19:42
DeMarr Langford Jr. misses two point layup
19:40
Juwan Durham defensive rebound
19:30
Nate Laszewski misses three point jump shot
19:28
Jay Heath defensive rebound
19:09
+3
Sam Holtze makes three point jump shot (Jay Heath assists)
0-3
18:51
+3
Nikola Djogo makes three point jump shot (Juwan Durham assists)
3-3
18:31
Juwan Durham blocks DeMarr Langford Jr.'s two point layup
18:29
Nikola Djogo defensive rebound
18:21
Cormac Ryan turnover (lost ball) (Sam Holtze steals)
18:13
Will Jackowitz misses three point jump shot
18:11
DeMarr Langford Jr. offensive rebound
18:10
+2
DeMarr Langford Jr. makes two point putback layup
3-5
17:59
Juwan Durham offensive foul (Sam Holtze draws the foul)
17:59
Juwan Durham turnover
17:47
+2
Makai Ashton-Langford makes two point driving layup
3-7
17:17
+2
Cormac Ryan makes two point driving layup (Juwan Durham assists)
5-7
16:49
+3
Makai Ashton-Langford makes three point jump shot (DeMarr Langford Jr. assists)
5-10
16:17
Prentiss Hubb misses two point layup
16:15
James Karnik defensive rebound
16:07
+2
James Karnik makes two point driving layup
5-12
16:07
Prentiss Hubb shooting foul (James Karnik draws the foul)
16:07
+1
James Karnik makes regular free throw 1 of 1
5-13
15:51
+2
Nate Laszewski makes two point layup (Prentiss Hubb assists)
7-13
15:37
Steffon Mitchell misses two point layup
15:35
Eagles offensive rebound
15:35
TV timeout
15:30
+3
Makai Ashton-Langford makes three point jump shot
7-16
15:15
Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot
15:13
James Karnik defensive rebound
14:57
Juwan Durham blocks DeMarr Langford Jr.'s two point layup
14:55
Juwan Durham defensive rebound
14:40
+2
Juwan Durham makes two point jump shot (Cormac Ryan assists)
9-16
14:33
Cormac Ryan shooting foul (DeMarr Langford Jr. draws the foul)
14:33
+1
DeMarr Langford Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
9-17
14:33
+1
DeMarr Langford Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
9-18
14:16
+2
Trey Wertz makes two point driving layup
11-18
13:55
Steffon Mitchell misses three point jump shot
13:53
James Karnik offensive rebound
13:46
Makai Ashton-Langford misses three point jump shot
13:44
Trey Wertz defensive rebound
13:37
+3
Trey Wertz makes three point jump shot (Prentiss Hubb assists)
14-18
13:23
+2
Jay Heath makes two point floating jump shot
14-20
13:23
Nikola Djogo shooting foul (Jay Heath draws the foul)
13:23
+1
Jay Heath makes regular free throw 1 of 1
14-21
13:06
+2
Nate Laszewski makes two point driving layup
16-21
12:41
Makai Ashton-Langford misses two point floating jump shot
12:39
Dane Goodwin defensive rebound
12:34
Nikola Djogo turnover (lost ball)
12:23
+3
Kamari Williams makes three point jump shot (Makai Ashton-Langford assists)
16-24
11:56
Jump ball. Nikola Djogo vs. Makai Ashton-Langford (Eagles gains possession)
11:56
Nikola Djogo turnover (lost ball) (Makai Ashton-Langford steals)
11:56
TV timeout
11:38
Frederick Scott misses three point jump shot
11:36
Nikola Djogo defensive rebound
11:18
+3
Dane Goodwin makes three point jump shot (Nikola Djogo assists)
19-24
11:03
+3
Frederick Scott makes three point jump shot
19-27
10:53
Dane Goodwin misses three point jump shot
10:51
Frederick Scott defensive rebound
10:26
+2
Frederick Scott makes two point driving layup
19-29
10:16
Prentiss Hubb turnover (bad pass) (Frederick Scott steals)
10:01
+2
Jay Heath makes two point driving layup
19-31
9:59
Fighting Irish 30 second timeout
9:48
+2
Dane Goodwin makes two point turnaround jump shot (Trey Wertz assists)
21-31
9:15
Makai Ashton-Langford misses three point jump shot
9:13
Steffon Mitchell offensive rebound
9:07
Nikola Djogo personal foul (Frederick Scott draws the foul)
8:59
+2
Frederick Scott makes two point layup (Steffon Mitchell assists)