College Basketball Roundup : Boston College Upsets St. John’s

Roger McCready scored 29 points, including five early in overtime, as Boston College handed 10th-ranked St. John’s a 79-77 Big East loss Tuesday night at Boston.

The Redmen (14-2, 2-1) had won 12 straight.

The Eagles (10-3, 2-1) capitalized on St. John’s late fouls, sinking five free throws in the final 32 seconds of overtime before a crowd of 8,306 at Boston Garden.

After Boston College pulled into a 65-65 tie on Dana Barros’ jumper from the corner with 2:55 left in regulation, neither team could score.

In the overtime, McCready gave the Eagles the lead for good, 72-69, with a three-point play. After taking an offensive rebound, he was fouled. He made the free throw.

St. John’s wrapped up the win when Barros drew a technical foul when the ball was knocked from his hands on an inbounds pass, and he sank two free throws to make it 79-75. The best St. John’s could do after that was a basket by Walter Berry just before the buzzer.

Barros, a freshman, finished with 18 points. St. John’s was led by Berry and Willie Glass with 18 points apiece. However, Berry, who had been averaging 27 points a game, managed just four points after picking up his fourth foul with just under eight minutes remaining in regulation.

Notre Dame 78, Providence 72--Sophomore guard David Rivers scored a game-high 22 points to lead Notre Dame before 12,150 at Providence, R.I.

Rivers made 10 of 12 from the line, including six in the final 2:14, when Notre Dame nailed down the win.

The Fighting Irish, with seven reboundsfrom both Donald Royal and Joseph Price, outrebounded the Friars by a 2-1 margin, including 11 from the offensive boards.

Harold Starks led Providence scorers with 18 points, which included 8 of 10 from the floor.

South Alabama 63, Va. Commonwealth 62--Forward Rodney Butts sank a 15-foot jumper with 52 seconds left in overtime to give South Alabama a Sun Belt Conference win at Mobile, Ala.

Virginia Commonwealth had a chance to win after Butts’ shot, but a 15-foot jumper by Brian Bender fell short with seven seconds to play, and South Alabama’s Jose Waitman grabbed the rebound.

Virginia Commonwealth nearly won in regulation when forward Michael Brown made a layup with six seconds left to give the Rams a 56-54 lead. South Alabama, however, inbounded and freshman Jeff Hodge hit a jumper from the top of the key to send the game into overtime.

South Alabama (11-5, 1-0) was led by Butts, who had 20 points. Virginia Commonwealth (2-7, 0-1) was led by Phil Stinnie with 18.

Pittsburgh 81, Seton Hall 66--Curtis Aiken scored 22 points and Jerome Lane added 18 to lead Pittsburgh (10-3, 2-3) to a Big East win at East Rutherford, N.J.

Andre McCloud led Seton Hall (9-7, 0-3) with a game-high 25 points, and had 13 rebounds.