Gary Trent Jr. scored 25 for Duke (11-1, 0-1 ACC).

Duke erased a 10-point deficit in the second half and led 79-75 with 3:30 to play. But Boston College scored 12 of the next 14 points, getting a pair of 3-pointers from Robinson. Duke’s Trevon Duvall drove to the basket to make it 83-81 with 31 seconds left, but then he was called for an intentional foul on Chatman as BC tried to dribble out the clock.

Chatman made both foul shots, and then with BC retaining possession he was fouled again and made two more. A 3-pointer by Trent made it 87-84, but then Jerome Robinson was sent to the line and hit his free throws with 6 seconds left to ice it.

After Trent’s mostly meaningless 3-pointer in the final seconds bounced off the rim, the crowd spilled onto the court to celebrate the biggest win yet for BC coach Jim Christian, whose teams finished last in the ACC in each of the past two seasons.

Despite the first snowstorm of the winter in Boston, a full house of 8,606 filled the Conte Forum to see the top-ranked Blue Devils — the first sellout in Chestnut Hill since a game against ninth-ranked North Carolina last Jan. 21.

Duke led 36-35 with four minutes left in the first half before BC scored 13 of the next 16 points, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Chatman and a fast-break layup from Bowman to open a nine-point lead with 23 seconds before the break. A pair of free throws cut it to 48-41 before Bowman’s 3 at the buzzer rimmed out.

Chatman hit another 3 to open the second half and give BC its biggest lead of the game. It was 53-43 when Allen and Bagley hit back-to-back 3-pointers during 15-5 run to tie it.

BIG PICTURE

Duke: The Blue Devils have spent 134 weeks at No. 1 — tied with UCLA for the most in in the history of the AP poll. A win on Saturday would certainly have broken the record.

Boston College: The Eagles are 4-5 all-time against No. 1 teams in the AP poll. They had won their last two, beating North Carolina in 2009 and Syracuse in 2014.

MILESTONES

It was the 3,000th game for the Duke basketball program. Coach Mike Krzyzewski had been going for his 500th win away from Cameron Indoor Stadium, and his 400th regular-season ACC win. Duke had been 20-2 against BC all-time, and 16-1 in ACC play, with the other loss coming in Boston in 2009. Since then, the Blue Devils have beaten the Eagles 11 times in a row.

ALLEN’S EYE

Allen sustained a bruise on his right eye late in the first half. He missed seven of his first nine shots and finished with 14 points on 5-for-20 shooting, making one of nine 3-point shots.

HAWKINS GROUNDED

Boston College played its first game without Deontae “Teddy” Hawkins, who injured his knee and is out for the remainder of the season. A graduate transfer from Illinois State who attended the game on crutches, Hawkins had been BC’s top rebounder and third-leading scorer.

UP NEXT:

Duke: Hosts Evansville on Dec. 20.

Boston College: Hosts Columbia on Tuesday.

свернуть