Men's Basketball Drops 77-66 Decision at #10 Virginia Tech

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BLACKSBURG, Va. — Jordan Chatman led four Boston College players in double figures with 18 as the Eagles dropped a 77-66 decision at #10/10 Virginia Tech in its ACC opener.

It was a back-and-forth start with the Hokies taking a five-point lead – 11-6 – less than 4:40 into the game. Ky Bowman hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions and Jairus Hamilton connected from beyond the arc, as the Eagles scored nine unanswered and led 15-11 with 10:56 left in the first half.

Virginia Tech responded with a 10-1 run of its own, making it a five-point game – 21-16 – with 7:22 to go. BC manufactured a 16-6 run over the next 5:40, taking its largest lead of the afternoon – five points – after two Chris Herren Jr. free throws made it 32-27 with 1:49 to go in the half. A 3-pointer from Virginia Tech with 1:22 made it 32-30, Boston College, at the break.

Bowman scored the first four points of the half on a dunk and two free throws and BC held onto a four-point advantage – 36-32 – with 18:31 to go in regulation. The Hokies would respond with 11 unanswered points to take the lead for good, making it 43-36 with 15:35 to play. VT would build as much as a 16-point lead, but the Eagles continued to battle, getting within eight – 71-63 – with just under three minutes to play.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

Jordan Chatman scored 18 points to lead BC. The senior guard made 10-of-13 free throws and was 4-of-11 from the floor on the afternoon. He also dished out two assists in 30 minutes of play.
Ky Bowman finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals. He was 4-of-14 from the floor (2-8 3FG) in 40 minutes of action.
Jairus Hamilton scored a season-high 13 points – knocking down 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The freshman forward also grabbed three rebounds and registered an assist in 31 minutes of play.
Jared Hamilton added eight points, four rebounds, and a blocked shot in 29 minutes.
Chris Herren Jr. tallied to points before fouling out in 22 minutes while Steffon Mitchell returned to the BC lineup, tallying two rebounds, an assist, and a blocked shot in 16 minutes.
Wynston Tabbs did not dress due to injury.
BC shot 39.6% (19-48) from the floor, including 8-of-27 from the perimeter and 20-of-25 from the foul line.
The 80.0% FT proficiency marks the second game of the season that the Eagles were over the 78% mark, qualifying for the Andy Jick FT Challenge. The Eagles’ long-time PA announcer will contribute $100 to charity.

STAT OF THE GAME, PT. I:
21 – The Eagles scored 21 points off the bench, all from the Hamilton brothers.

STAT OF THE GAME, PT. II:
27.3% – BC held Virginia Tech – one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the nation – to 18 percentage points below their average from beyond the arc.

FOR THE ANALYTICS CROWD:
Three players reached double-digits in efficiency, led by Nik Popovic’s 16. Ky Bowman reached the 13 mark, whole Jairus Hamilton logged a 12. Efficiency rating is calculated using the following formula: (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK – Missed Shots – TO). Bowman recorded a 45 despite a season-high seven turnovers.

UP NEXT:
Boston College plays its first home conference game on Wednesday, Jan. 9 when it hosts Virginia. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET and the game can be seen live on ESPNU. Will Flemming and Malcolm Huckaby have the broadcast call on the game.