Boston College-Maine Final: Eagles Pull Away for 85-74 Win Over Black Bears

Boston College-Maine Final: On Thursday night at Conte Forum, the Boston College Eagles defeated the Maine Black Bears, 85-74.

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WIth the win, Boston College has their first three-game win streak of the season, giving them a 5-3 record overall. Maine has fallen to 1-8.

The Eagles came into the game heavily favored and appeared to be in control much of the way — leading the entire game helped — though the score barely got to blowout proportions.

Boston College-Maine Final: Game Synopsis

The Eagles opened the game on 6-0 run, while Maine answered with an 8-3 run of their own to cut the lead down to one. Boston College remained in front by single digits until later on in the first half when an Aaron Brown three made it a 12-point lead.

Maine would only close in a bit more over the course of the half, and the Eagles had a 42 to 34 lead at the midpoint.

Both teams started the second slightly cold, with only three made baskets by both teams in total over the first four minutes. The first came from Patrick Heckmann, who was fouled as he went in for a layup.

Maine’s Zarko Valjarevic was fouled shooting a three and the Black Bears closed to within five with 16:36 to go, but then a 10-2 Eagle run pushed Boston College’s advantage gave BC their biggest lead to that point at 13.

Maine answered with a 9-2 run of their own a few moments later, and with just under ten minutes to go, it was a six-point game.

The rest of the game followed a similar pattern, with the Eagles getting the score back into double digits and then Maine climbing back to within single digits. Maine did not have a chance to go on a final run as eventually BC stayed up double digits for good.

Boston College-Maine Final: The Stats

Valjarevic led all scorers in the game with 22. Aaron Brown lead Boston College with 21 points. Dennis Clifford had his most productive offensive game in a long while, scoring 19, nine of which came from the free throw line. All five Eagle starters scored in double digits: Dimitri Batten had 12, Patrick Heckmann scored 13, and Olivier Hanlan had 10.

Both teams shot well: Boston College shot 54 percent from the floor, while Maine shot 50 percent.

Maine had 17 turnovers while Boston College had just seven.

Boston College-Maine Final: Bottom Line

This game was closer than it could have been or should have been, but some credit has to be appropriated to Maine for putting together a better performance than most would have expected.

The Black Bears shooting 50 percent from the floor and outrebounding the Eagles is not much good, but the Eagles scored enough to keep ahead, and Maine was never really in the game. Not one for the highlight reel, but a win’s a win for BC who are now only three wins shy of already tying last season’s win total.

Boston College-Maine Final: Next Up

The Eagles return to action for the fourth game of this homestand on Sunday afternoon at 1pm as they host the Binghamton Bearcats.