Boston College Tops Miami in an Overtime ACC Quarterfinal Thriller

Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 

March 9, 2007

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Tyrese Rice scored a career-high 32 points, including a key 3-pointer near the end of regulation and two huge free throws in overtime, to propel Boston College to a 74-71 victory over Miami in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament Friday.

Rice carried the Eagles for much of the game and essentially picked up the slack for leading scorer and conference player of the year Jared Dudley who finished with 12 points.

Dudley was quiet most of the game but stepped up in overtime, hitting a jumper and then converting a three-point play that put fourth-seeded Boston College (20-10) ahead 72-71 with 1:51 remaining.

The 12th-seeded Hurricanes (12-20) had several shots to regain the lead – and avoid a season-ending loss – but none of them fell. Anthony Harris missed a 3-pointer, and Jack McClinton’s baseline scoop shot hit the side of the backboard. Miami was then forced to foul, and Rice made both free throws to make it a three-point game with 3.1 seconds to play.

The ‘Canes had one final chance, but Harris couldn’t get a 3-pointer off before the final buzzer.

Rice finished 9-of-14 from the field, 6-of-10 from 3-point range and 8-of-13 from the free throw line. John Oates added 14 points for the Eagles, who won for just the second time in six games.

Boston College advanced to face eighth-ranked and top-seeded North Carolina in the semifinals Saturday. The Tar Heels handled Florida State earlier in the day.

Miami, coming off a surprising win against Maryland in the first round, hadn’t won consecutive conference games all season. But the team led by as many as 14 points early in the second half and was ahead 62-54 with 4 minutes to play. Boston College steadily chipped away at the lead, but needed Rice’s 3-pointer to send it into overtime.

Rice’s long-range shot landed softly on the front of the rim, hit the backboard and fell through with 31.4 seconds to play. Harris missed a game-winning shot on the other end.

Harris finished with 15 points, Jack McClinton had 16 and Jimmy Graham added 12 before fouling out with about 2 minutes to play in overtime.

Boston College solidified its spot in the NCAA tournament with the victory. Miami, meanwhile, lost 20 games in a season for just the third time in school history.

The Hurricanes have played much of the season short-handed, and the conference tournament was no different as they were again without starters Denis Clemente and Anthony King.

Clemente was suspended for the fourth straight game for an undisclosed violation of team rules. King, who had been the league’s top rebounder, has missed most of the season with a wrist injury.

Fabio Nass (knee) and Adrian Thomas (abdomen) also are out for the season, and combined with Raymond Hicks’ six-game suspension, Miami had been down to seven scholarship players in recent games. Hicks returned last week against Florida State.