Boston College Holds Off Pacific in Double Overtime

It felt more like time for brunch than for basketball, and Boston College was almost toast.

After a run to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title game and a narrow loss to Duke, the Eagles became a chic pick for the Final Four.

They almost didn’t make it to the second round.

Pacific, its upset credentials established after upending Pittsburgh last season and Providence two seasons ago, very nearly pulled its biggest yet, taking the fourth-seeded Eagles to double overtime before losing, 88-76, Thursday in a first-round NCAA tournament game that began at 10:40 a.m. local time in the Huntsman Center.

“I’m proud as heck of our team, and we’re just disappointed we don’t have a chance to go on,” Pacific Coach Bob Thomason said.

Led by Christian Maraker’s 30-point, nine-rebound performance, Pacific came from 13 points behind in the second half to force overtime when Maraker made a wide-open three-point shot with 11 seconds left.

Two deadeye three-pointers by Mike Webb gave Pacific a six-point lead in the first overtime. The Tigers still led by two with 21 seconds left when Michael White missed a baseline shot before Boston College’s Craig Smith tied the score with two free throws to send the game to a second overtime.

Thomason didn’t like the foul call on Maraker with 4.3 seconds left against the burly Smith, who muscled his way inside, saying Maraker played him straight up.

“I don’t want to get fined ... but it’s a call you don’t see much in college basketball,” he said.

Smith, a 66% free-throw shooter, made both to extend the game.

“We kept our composure,” said Smith, who led the Eagles with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

Pacific (24-8) had one last good opportunity, nearly getting a chance to win at the buzzer, but White couldn’t get a shot off in time after Johnny Gray found him open under the basket.

The second overtime started with an alley-oop dunk for Boston College’s Sean Williams and went the Eagles’ way from there, including a three-pointer for a five-point lead by Tyrese Rice, who was 0 for 5 from long range until then.

Pacific made 10 three-pointers in the game -- “After some shots went down, and the crowd is pulling for you, it’s almost like playing at home,” Webb said -- but missed all six of its three-pointers in the second overtime.

The fans were on Pacific’s side, but Boston College (27-7) got the last word.

With 30 seconds left in the second overtime, the chants of “overrated, overrated” poured from the stands. By then, the Boston College players knew they were going to survive and advance.

Smith heard the chant and the clapping, looked up at the crowd, and put his hands together with the fans, mimicking their rhythm.

Williams looked up too, and he waved goodbye.

Guard Louis Hinnant said the Boston College players understood.

“As far as the fans, I can say that the NCAA tournament is really about the Cinderella story,” he said. “People look forward to having the underdog come up and win.

“Fortunately for us, we didn’t allow that to happen.”