Boston College ends drought against Duke

Boston College shocked another of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top teams.

Reggie Jackson scored on a drive with 47 seconds left and the Eagles scored the final six points in an 80-74 victory over No. 6 Duke on Sunday, their first win over the Blue Devils in 24 years.

Tyrese Rice had 21 points, including a key three-pointer, and Joe Trapani scored 20 for the Eagles, 19-8 overall and 7-5 in the ACC. Jackson finished with 15 points.

“We always felt that we had the talent,” Boston College Coach Al Skinner said. “It’s getting them to understand what it takes.”

It was Boston College’s second win over a highly ranked team this season. The Eagles handed then-No. 1 North Carolina its first loss, 85-78, in Chapel Hill on Jan. 4.

After that game they lost to Harvard.

With Rice seemingly handling the ball on every key play down the stretch, Boston College pulled out one of its biggest home wins in years.

“They’re good and they have one of the best players in the country,” Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said, referring to Rice.

Rice, who became the seventh Boston College player to reach 2,000 points, grabbed a key rebound on a Duke miss before making two free throws that made it 78-74.

Kyle Singler had 25 points for the Blue Devils (20-5, 7-4), who have lost three of four games, and Gerald Henderson scored 20.

Boston College’s last win over the Blue Devils came on March 17, 1985.