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Hand scores 20, Boston College rides strong defense to 2nd straight win, 69-54 over Georgia Tech

AP
Feb 22, 2025

BOSTON (AP) Donald Hand Jr. scored 20 points and Boston College turned in a second-straight strong defensive performance as the Eagles pulled away late to post a 69-54 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Boston College (12-15, 4-12) snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday by beating Virginia Tech, 54-36, the lowest point total by an ACC opponent since the Eagles joined the conference at the start of the 2005-06 season, and the defensive emphasis carried over against the Yellow Jackets, who were held to just 32.1% shooting and forced into committing 13 turnovers.

On Senior Day, senior Chad Venning and sophomore Elijah Strong were stoppers in the middle for Boston College. Venning scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, but more important defensively blocked four shots. Strong added nine points and two rebounds.

The Eagles led by five at intermission, 32-27, but Venning scored on three straight layups and added two free throws to fuel a 10-0 run to open the second half and the lead reached 15 points with 14 minutes left. Georgia Tech crawled back and Naithan George's 3-pointer with 4:28 left cut the deficit to 56-50. Dion Brown hit two clutch baskets and Hand drew a foul on a deep 3-point attempt and knocked down two of three at the line.

Baye Ndongo scored 17 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished four assists to lead Georgia Tech (13-14, 7-9). Lance Terry added 15 points.

Boston College is a game-and-a-half out of earning one of the 14 spots in the ACC tournament with four games left to play. The Eagles travel to face Stanford Wednesday and California Saturday.

Georgia Tech plays at Pittsburgh Tuesday.

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1st Half
GT
Yellow Jackets
27
BC
Eagles
32

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Naithan George vs. Chad Venning (Naithan George gains possession)
19:50		Naithan George misses two point jump shot
19:48		Donald Hand Jr. defensive rebound
19:20		Donald Hand Jr. misses three point jump shot
19:18		Naithan George defensive rebound
19:04		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
19:02		Eagles defensive rebound
18:49	+2	Donald Hand Jr. makes two point layup	0-2
18:24		Baye Ndongo misses two point layup
18:22		Donald Hand Jr. defensive rebound
18:11	+3	Roger McFarlane makes three point jump shot (Donald Hand Jr. assists)	0-5
17:54		Ibrahim Souare misses two point layup
17:52		Roger McFarlane defensive rebound
17:29		Roger McFarlane misses three point jump shot
17:27		Ibrahim Souare defensive rebound
17:13	+3	Lance Terry makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	3-5
16:58		Baye Ndongo blocks Chad Venning's two point layup
16:56		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
16:42		Duncan Powell misses two point layup
16:40		Naithan George offensive rebound
16:35		Naithan George misses two point layup
16:33		Chad Venning defensive rebound
16:29	+3	Donald Hand Jr. makes three point jump shot (Roger McFarlane assists)	3-8
16:12	+3	Baye Ndongo makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists)	6-8
15:53		Donald Hand Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:51		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
15:39		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
15:37		Baye Ndongo offensive rebound
15:34	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point jump shot	8-8
15:20	+3	Chas Kelley III makes three point jump shot (Chad Venning assists)	8-11
15:01	+2	Lance Terry makes two point layup (Naithan George assists)	10-11
14:38		Dion Brown misses three point jump shot
14:37		Yellow Jackets defensive rebound
14:37		TV timeout
14:24		Jayden Hastings blocks Jaeden Mustaf's two point layup
14:22		Jayden Hastings defensive rebound
14:11		Jayden Hastings turnover (traveling)
14:00		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
13:58		Dion Brown defensive rebound
13:58		Baye Ndongo personal foul (Dion Brown draws the foul)
13:44		Roger McFarlane misses three point jump shot
13:42		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
13:25		Naithan George turnover (bad pass) (Jayden Hastings steals)
13:11		Donald Hand Jr. misses two point jump shot
13:09		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
13:00	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup (Naithan George assists)	12-11
12:45		Chas Kelley III turnover (bad pass)
12:26		Duncan Powell misses two point jump shot
12:24		Donald Hand Jr. defensive rebound
12:10	+2	Donald Hand Jr. makes two point jump shot	12-13
11:55		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
11:53		Donald Hand Jr. defensive rebound
11:26		Fred Payne misses three point jump shot
11:24		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
11:18		Fred Payne shooting foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul)
11:18		TV timeout
11:18	+1	Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 1 of 2	13-13
11:18	+1	Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-13
10:55		Donald Hand Jr. misses three point jump shot
10:53		Darrion Sutton defensive rebound
10:43		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
10:41		Fred Payne defensive rebound
10:30	+3	Joshua Beadle makes three point jump shot (Fred Payne assists)	14-16
10:03		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
10:01		Donald Hand Jr. defensive rebound
9:53	+3	Donald Hand Jr. makes three point jump shot (Fred Payne assists)	14-19
9:31	+2	Lance Terry makes two point jump shot	16-19
9:08		Joshua Beadle misses two point layup
9:06		Duncan Powell defensive rebound
9:00		Darrion Sutton turnover (lost ball) (Joshua Beadle steals)
8:58		Darrion Sutton personal foul (Joshua Beadle draws the foul)
8:32	+3	Elijah Strong makes three point jump shot (Fred Payne assists)	16-22
8:09		Elijah Strong shooting foul (Lance Terry draws the foul)
8:09	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 1 of 3	17-22
8:09		Lance Terry misses regular free throw 2 of 3
8:09	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 3 of 3	18-22
7:48		Chad Venning offensive foul (Ibrahim Souare draws the foul)
7:48		Chad Venning turnover (offensive foul)
7:48		TV timeout
7:32		Baye Ndongo misses two point jump shot
7:30		Roger McFarlane defensive rebound
7:13	+3	Elijah Strong makes three point jump shot (Fred Payne assists)	18-25
6:45		Baye Ndongo turnover (lost ball) (Roger McFarlane steals)
6:42		Baye Ndongo personal foul (Joshua Beadle draws the foul)
6:30		Fred Payne misses three point jump shot
6:28		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
6:17	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup (Lance Terry assists)	20-25
5:46		Roger McFarlane misses two point jump shot
5:44		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
5:36		Jump ball. Jaeden Mustaf vs. Chad Venning (Eagles gains possession)
5:36		Jaeden Mustaf turnover (lost ball) (Chad Venning steals)
5:18		Donald Hand Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:16		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
4:54		Chad Venning blocks Baye Ndongo's two point layup
4:52		Chad Venning defensive rebound
4:43		Jaeden Mustaf personal foul (Chas Kelley III draws the foul)
4:33		Fred Payne turnover (bad pass) (Lance Terry steals)
4:19		Lance Terry misses three point jump shot
4:17		Chas Kelley III defensive rebound
3:53		Roger McFarlane misses two point jump shot
3:51		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
3:42	+2	Jaeden Mustaf makes two point layup (Baye Ndongo assists)	22-25
3:21		Lance Terry personal foul (Donald Hand Jr. draws the foul)
3:21		TV timeout
3:10	+2	Dion Brown makes two point jump shot	22-27
2:51		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
2:49		Naithan George offensive rebound
2:35		Naithan George turnover (bad pass)
2:19		Donald Hand Jr. misses three point jump shot
2:17		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
2:02	+3	Naithan George makes three point jump shot (Baye Ndongo assists)	25-27
1:45		Chad Venning misses two point layup
1:43		Elijah Strong offensive rebound
1:43		Naithan George shooting foul (Elijah Strong draws the foul)
1:43	+1	Elijah Strong makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-28
1:43		Elijah Strong misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:41		Yellow Jackets defensive rebound
1:35		Jaeden Mustaf misses two point dunk
1:33		Elijah Strong defensive rebound
1:29	+3	Donald Hand Jr. makes three point jump shot (Chas Kelley III assists)	25-31
1:10		Chas Kelley III personal foul (Duncan Powell draws the foul)
1:01	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point jump shot	27-31
0:42		Chas Kelley III misses two point layup
0:40		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
0:33		Duncan Powell misses two point jump shot
0:31		Dion Brown defensive rebound
0:22		Eagles 30 second timeout
0:08		Darrion Sutton shooting foul (Chad Venning draws the foul)
0:08		Chad Venning misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:08	+1	Chad Venning makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-32
0:00		Jaeden Mustaf misses two point layup
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
GT
Yellow Jackets
27
BC
Eagles
37

Time		Play	Score
19:51		Naithan George turnover (bad pass)
19:26		Roger McFarlane misses three point jump shot
19:24		Chad Venning offensive rebound
19:19	+2	Chad Venning makes two point layup	27-34
19:01		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
18:59		Roger McFarlane defensive rebound
18:40		Duncan Powell blocks Dion Brown's three point jump shot
18:38		Ibrahim Souare defensive rebound
18:22		Chad Venning blocks Lance Terry's two point layup
18:20		Chad Venning defensive rebound
18:14	+2	Chad Venning makes two point layup (Dion Brown assists)	27-36
18:11		Yellow Jackets 30 second timeout
18:11		TV timeout
17:45		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
17:43		Chad Venning defensive rebound
17:39		Donald Hand Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:37		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
17:25		Jaeden Mustaf turnover (lost ball) (Chad Venning steals)
17:07		Jump ball. Chas Kelley III vs. Baye Ndongo (Eagles gains possession)
16:59		Chad Venning misses two point dunk
16:57		Yellow Jackets defensive rebound
16:45		Chad Venning blocks Naithan George's two point layup
16:44		Baye Ndongo offensive rebound
16:44		Fred Payne personal foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul)
16:23		Yellow Jackets turnover (shot clock violation)
16:10	+2	Chad Venning makes two point jump shot (Chas Kelley III assists)	27-38
15:59		Baye Ndongo misses two point jump shot
15:57		Fred Payne defensive rebound
15:40		Lance Terry shooting foul (Chad Venning draws the foul)
15:40		TV timeout
15:40	+1	Chad Venning makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-39
15:40	+1	Chad Venning makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-40
15:10		Chad Venning blocks Duncan Powell's two point layup
15:08		Yellow Jackets offensive rebound
15:08		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
15:06		Fred Payne defensive rebound
14:58		Jaeden Mustaf personal foul
14:45	+2	Fred Payne makes two point jump shot	27-42
14:29		Naithan George misses three point jump shot
14:27		Lance Terry offensive rebound
14:24		Dion Brown shooting foul (Lance Terry draws the foul)
14:24	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-42
14:24	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-42
14:03		Lance Terry shooting foul (Chas Kelley III draws the foul)
14:03	+1	Chas Kelley III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-43
14:03	+1	Chas Kelley III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-44
13:49		Lance Terry misses three point jump shot
13:47		Baye Ndongo offensive rebound
13:36	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup	31-44
13:31		Chas Kelley III turnover (bad pass)
13:23	+2	Ibrahim Souare makes two point dunk (Naithan George assists)	33-44
13:01	+2	Elijah Strong makes two point jump shot	33-46
12:50		Joshua Beadle personal foul (Ibrahim Souare draws the foul)
12:43		Naithan George turnover (lost ball) (Jayden Hastings steals)
12:40		Darrion Sutton shooting foul (Fred Payne draws the foul)
12:40		Fred Payne misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:40	+1	Fred Payne makes regular free throw 2 of 2	33-47
12:26	+2	Ibrahim Souare makes two point dunk (Lance Terry assists)	35-47
12:03		Elijah Strong misses two point jump shot
12:01		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
11:48		Elijah Strong personal foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul)
11:48		TV timeout
11:41		Lance Terry misses two point jump shot
11:40		Ibrahim Souare offensive rebound
11:40		Jayden Hastings personal foul (Ibrahim Souare draws the foul)
11:25		Lance Terry turnover (lost ball) (Joshua Beadle steals)
11:01		Elijah Strong turnover (out of bounds)
10:51		Chad Venning shooting foul (Jaeden Mustaf draws the foul)
10:51		Jaeden Mustaf misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:51		Jaeden Mustaf misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:51		Jaeden Mustaf offensive rebound
10:47		Lance Terry misses three point jump shot
10:45		Chad Venning defensive rebound
10:21		Chad Venning misses two point jump shot
10:19		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
10:14		Jaeden Mustaf misses two point layup
10:12		Jaeden Mustaf offensive rebound
10:08		Lance Terry misses three point jump shot
10:08		Fred Payne defensive rebound
10:08		Ibrahim Souare personal foul (Fred Payne draws the foul)
9:45		Fred Payne misses three point jump shot
9:43		Fred Payne offensive rebound
9:42		Baye Ndongo personal foul (Fred Payne draws the foul)
9:40		Joshua Beadle misses three point jump shot
9:38		Naithan George defensive rebound
9:32		Baye Ndongo turnover (lost ball) (Fred Payne steals)
9:25	+2	Fred Payne makes two point layup	35-49
9:12		Joshua Beadle personal foul (Ibrahim Souare draws the foul)
9:12		Ibrahim Souare misses regular free throw 1 of 1
9:12		Roger McFarlane defensive rebound
8:48		Joshua Beadle misses two point jump shot
8:46		Ibrahim Souare defensive rebound
8:40	+2	Baye Ndongo makes two point layup (Naithan George assists)	37-49
8:18		Baye Ndongo blocks Roger McFarlane's two point layup
8:17		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
8:17		Jump ball. Baye Ndongo vs. Roger McFarlane (Yellow Jackets gains possession)
8:01		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
7:59		Naithan George offensive rebound
7:57		Chad Venning shooting foul (Duncan Powell draws the foul)
7:57		TV timeout
7:57	+1	Duncan Powell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-49
7:57		Duncan Powell misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:57		Donald Hand Jr. defensive rebound
7:34		Jayden Hastings misses two point jump shot
7:32		Jaeden Mustaf defensive rebound
7:16		Lance Terry misses two point jump shot
7:14		Jayden Hastings defensive rebound
6:59		Naithan George shooting foul (Jayden Hastings draws the foul)
6:59		Jayden Hastings misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:59		Jayden Hastings misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:59		Lance Terry defensive rebound
6:53		Jayden Hastings personal foul (Lance Terry draws the foul)
6:53	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-49
6:53	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-49
6:32		Chad Venning misses two point jump shot
6:30		Roger McFarlane offensive rebound
6:27	+2	Chad Venning makes two point layup (Roger McFarlane assists)	40-51
6:14	+3	Naithan George makes three point jump shot (Baye Ndongo assists)	43-51
5:58	+2	Dion Brown makes two point layup	43-53
5:58		Duncan Powell shooting foul (Dion Brown draws the foul)
5:58	+1	Dion Brown makes regular free throw 1 of 1	43-54
5:43	+2	Duncan Powell makes two point layup (Baye Ndongo assists)	45-54
5:18		Roger McFarlane misses two point jump shot
5:16		Duncan Powell defensive rebound
4:58		Roger McFarlane personal foul (Lance Terry draws the foul)
4:58	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-54
4:58	+1	Lance Terry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-54
4:40	+2	Donald Hand Jr. makes two point jump shot (Chad Venning assists)	47-56
4:27	+3	Naithan George makes three point jump shot	50-56
3:53	+2	Dion Brown makes two point layup	50-58
3:42		Duncan Powell misses three point jump shot
3:40		Jaeden Mustaf offensive rebound
3:27		Chad Venning shooting foul (Jaeden Mustaf draws the foul)
3:27		TV timeout
3:27	+1	Jaeden Mustaf makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-58
3:27	+1	Jaeden Mustaf makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-58
3:06	+2	Dion Brown makes two point jump shot (Chas Kelley III assists)	52-60
2:52		Naithan George turnover (bad pass)
2:44		Roger McFarlane misses two point layup
2:42		Donald Hand Jr. offensive rebound
2:27		Jaeden Mustaf shooting foul (Donald Hand Jr. draws the foul)
2:27	+1	Donald Hand Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 3	52-61
2:27	+1	Donald Hand Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 3	52-62
2:27		Donald Hand Jr. misses regular free throw 3 of 3
2:27		Baye Ndongo defensive rebound
2:05		Lance Terry turnover (bad pass)
1:40		Chad Venning misses two point jump shot
1:38		Roger McFarlane offensive rebound
1:37		Jaeden Mustaf personal foul (Roger McFarlane draws the foul)
1:37	+1	Roger McFarlane makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-63
1:37	+1	Roger McFarlane makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-64
1:31		Lance Terry misses three point jump shot
1:29		Roger McFarlane defensive rebound
1:09		Chad Venning misses two point jump shot
1:07		Dion Brown offensive rebound
1:01	+3	Donald Hand Jr. makes three point jump shot (Dion Brown assists)	52-67
0:46	+2	Jaeden Mustaf makes two point jump shot (Duncan Powell assists)	54-67
0:46		Yellow Jackets 30 second timeout
0:17	+2	Chad Venning makes two point layup (Chas Kelley III assists)	54-69
0:06		Donald Hand Jr. blocks Lance Terry's two point jump shot
0:04		Chad Venning defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Chad Venning defensive rebound