Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Boston College shot 58.8 percent from the field in the first half and never looked back in a 71-56 win over George Mason in Friday night’s opening-round game of the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam in St. Thomas.
Makai Ashton-Langford led the Eagles (3-1) with a game-high 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting and added three assists. He scored 13 in the first half as Boston College built up a 47-21 lead at the half and never looked back.
CJ Penha added 11 points, while Devin McGlockton had eight points, nine rebounds and a pair of blocks.
The Eagles next will face Tarleton State on Sunday in the tournament. Tarleton State defeated Belmont 89-81 on Friday.
Victor Bailey Jr. had 15 points and seven rebounds to lead the Patriots (2-2). DeVon Cooper added 12 points, and Davonte Gains had three assists.
The Eagles opened on an 11-2 run as Penha scored five points, including a stepback 3-pointer. Mason failed to convert on a field goal until Gaines’ triple at the 15:42 mark, but two of its first three from downtown went in to make it 13-8 early.
After the Patriots closed within four on Ginika Ojiako’s individual five-point run, Boston College went on a 19-2 run, capped by Jaeden Zackery’s free throw that made it 36-15 with 5:18 left in the opening half.
It was a 26-point game at the break as Mason Madsen beat the buzzer with a layup in the final second.
George Mason jumped out to a 10-4 start to the latter period, with Bailey hitting a 3-pointer to start the burst and a jumper to cap it. The Patriots shot 46.4 percent in the second half, but Boston College’s strong start was too much to overcome.
Ashton-Langford fed McGlockton for a dunk to punctuate the win with 1:01 left.
–Field Level Media