Notre Dame 76, Boston College 73: Eagles Crumble Late, Lose in Overtime

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Boston College basketball’s 2013-14 season has been full of what-ifs and disappointments, but the Eagles carved out a new crushing low on Saturday afternoon.

In South Bend, Indiana, the Eagles lost to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 76-73 in overtime. With the loss, Boston College falls to 6-15 (2-6) on the season.

Ryan Anderson led Boston College with 21 points, backed up by Lonnie Jackson with 15. Olivier Hanlan, whose late-game issues helped cost the Eagles the victory, had five. Notre Dame’s Eric Atkins, who launched the game-winner at the end of overtime, led all scorers with 24.

The Eagles were the better team for most of the contest, leading 29-26 at halftime and stretching out to a nine-point lead during the second half. Boston College’s lead came back up to seven points with less than ten minutes to go, but what is much more troubling is that they had a three-point lead with 10 seconds remaining in regulation. Notre Dame pulled within one, then Hanlan missed the front-end of a one-and-one. With less than one second remaining and an Eagles lead, Hanlan fouled Atkins, who tied the game from the line and sent it to overtime.

In overtime, the Eagles came back from a late four-point deficit, but Atkins touched the ball last, and made a game-winning three with a second remaining in the extra period.

There were some positives to take away for the Eagles, who had some energy on defense and actually tried to disrupt Notre Dame’s offensive flow. The Irish are evidently not a very good team, but their being cold was part Boston College effort and part lack of their own talent. They also picked up five steals and six blocks, both of which are well above their season averages. In the end, however, the Eagles found a way to lose a game that they probably should have won.

Boston College gave up 15 offensive rebounds to Notre Dame, corralling just five of their own. The Irish needed every second-chance opportunity they could get with their cold shooting, and the Eagles obliged.

At this point, with the Eagles at 6-15, there was not much left to salvage, anyway, but this would have been a fine rivalry win immediately after the team had just looked competent against another conference foe. Instead, fans are left with a bitter taste in their mouths as the Eagles have proven once more that they are allergic to closing out games.

Boston College returns to the hardwood on Wednesday night as they face the Virginia Cavaliers.