Defense was the key ingredient in Boston College’s 53-49 victory over visiting Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon at Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Jaeden Zackery tossed in a team-high 16 points for Boston College, which held Rhode Island to 30.5 percent shooting from the floor (18 of 59). The Rams were 3 of 16 on 3-point attempts.
Devin McGlockton scored six points in the final 1:40, including a layup that gave the Eagles (5-2) a 50-48 lead with 1:07 to play. McGlockton finished the game with 11 points and was the only other Eagles player to score in double figures.
Rhode Island’s Brayon Freeman led all scorers with 21 points. Freeman has scored in double digits in each of Rhode Island’s past four games.
Ishmael Leggett added 10 points for the Rams (2-5).
Boston College had its largest lead of the game, 40-34, with 12:56 to play, but failed to score in the next 5:46. That allowed the Rams to go on a 10-0 run and take a 44-40 lead. It was 44-44 until Freeman made a 28-foot 3-pointer with 5:01 left.
McGlockton handed the Eagles a 48-47 lead by making a jumper with 1:40 remaining, and sealed the win when he made two free throws with eight seconds on the clock.
Rhode Island went 2-0 against Boston College last season and had won five of the past six meetings entering the game.
Neither team shot the ball well in the first half, which ended with the score tied at 28. The Eagles made 10 of 31 shots from the field (32.3 percent) and missed each of its eight 3-point attempts. The Rams were 11 of 29 from the floor (37.9 percent) and made one of their eight 3-point shots.
Freeman (14) and Leggett (eight) scored 22 of Rhode Island’s 28 first-half points. Zackery led Boston College with 10.
Zackery, who entered the contest shooting 46.3 percent from behind the 3-point arc (56 of 121) in 39 career games, made one of his three 3-point attempts.
Boston College regained the services of guard DeMarr Langford, who missed the final game of the Paradise Jam with the flu. He played 26 minutes and scored five points.
–Field Level Media