St. Joseph’s, Bey Use Long Ball to Keep Boston College at Bay in 81-77 Victory

St. Joseph’s just kept bombing away, straight into the record books and a spot in the NCAA tournament’s round of 16.

It took overtime to do it, but by the time the last long-distance shot had been taken Saturday, the tiny Jesuit school from Philadelphia owned both an 81-77 West Regional victory over Boston College and a record for most three-pointers attempted in a tournament game.

Rashid Bey’s three-point basket with 52.5 seconds to play set the record. Then Bey, who had 10 of St. Joseph’s 12 overtime points, made four of five free throws in the final seconds to seal the victory.

“Our philosophy is the next shot is the most important shot,” Bey said. “I think we’re going to have to start getting the ball down low in the next game because I can’t take it personally.”

The fourth-seeded Hawks (26-6) used their long-range shooting to overcome a 13-point deficit late in the second half and take a four-point lead in the final seconds of regulation.

But Scoonie Penn made two free throws with 5.7 seconds to play to tie the score at 69-69 in regulation and Bey missed an off-balance 18-footer that fell off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

The Hawks made 14 of 43 three-point attempts, breaking the previous record for most attempts of 42 by Long Island University against Villanova last Thursday.

Bey led all scorers with 23 points. Fifth-seeded Boston College (22-9) was led by Antonio Granger with 17 points.

Kentucky 75, Iowa 69--The team that Coach Rick Pitino keeps insisting has no depth, showed plenty in a gritty victory over the Hawkeyes.

The defending champion Wildcats (32-4) won their eighth consecutive tournament game, but the victory wasn’t secure until the final seconds.

Andre Woolridge, who scored 29 points in his final game for the eighth-seeded Hawkeyes, made a three-pointer with 49.2 seconds to play to cut Kentucky’s lead to 72-69.

But sophomore Scott Padgett, who made a crucial three-pointer that put top-seeded Kentucky ahead by six with 3 1/2 minutes to play, scored on a short jumper with 28 seconds left to give the Wildcats a 74-69 lead that Iowa (22-10) couldn’t overcome.

Wayne Turner scored all 13 of his points in the second half, including a basket that put the Wildcats up, 72-66, with 1:32 left after Iowa had missed three chances to narrow the gap.