Central Connecticut Blue Devils @ Boston College Eagles
Smith's late layup pushes Central Connecticut past Boston College 60-59
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- — Darin Smith Jr. scored 14 points including the game-winning layup with 3.2 seconds left and Central Connecticut rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat Boston College 60-59 on Tuesday night.
Central Connecticut trailed 39-28 early in the second half but later took its first lead on a 14-5 run, capped by a Max Frazier dunk, for a 55-54 advantage with 6:45 to play. It stayed a one-possession game with Boston College taking its last lead, 59-58, on Fred Payne's three-point play.
BC's Donald Hand Jr. missed a 3-point attempt with 21 seconds left and a bucket in the final second.
Melo Sanchez scored 12 of his 17 points and in the second half to lead Central Connecticut (2-1). Sanchez also made five of the Blue Devils' eight 3-pointers.
Payne scored 17 points and Hand had 11 to pace Boston College (1-2), which shot 33% (22 of 67) overall.
Boston College built a 30-26 halftime lead. Hand's turn-around jumper gave the Eagles their largest lead, 39-28, with 17:23 remaining.
Boston College travels to Temple on Saturday.
Central Connecticut will face Massachusetts on Sunday in the third of a four-game road swing.
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Game Information
- Referees:
- Justin Porterfield
- Eric Lewis
- Jeff Pon
2025-26 Northeast Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Connecticut | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
| Long Island University | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
| Mercyhurst | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
| Le Moyne | 0-0 | - | 1-2 |
| Stonehill | 0-0 | - | 1-2 |
| New Haven | 0-0 | - | 1-3 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson | 0-0 | - | 0-2 |
| Chicago State | 0-0 | - | 0-3 |
| Saint Francis | 0-0 | - | 0-3 |
| Wagner | 0-0 | - | 0-3 |
2025-26 Atlantic Coast Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Clemson | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Duke | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Georgia Tech | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Louisville | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Miami | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| North Carolina | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Notre Dame | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Pittsburgh | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| SMU | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Virginia | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| NC State | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Stanford | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Syracuse | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Virginia Tech | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Florida State | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
| Wake Forest | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
| Boston College | 0-0 | - | 1-2 |

