BC Takes Down Towson, Improves to 3-1
By Matt Seelig
Conte Forum was expectedly quiet this Tuesday as most of the Boston College student body had already left for their Thanksgiving break by the 7:00pm tipoff against Towson. BC won the tipoff and started the first half off with a few quick baskets. The Eagles, as they have done in the past few games since their loss to Nichols State, came out of the gates strong, and early in the half, BC lead Towson 22-10. Towson was also fouling severely, giving the Eagle the bonus around midway through the half. Towson fought back, going on a 7-0 run to bring the score to 22-10. But, BC came back with 5 unanswered points of their own. This streak would be broken by a 3-pointer from William Adala Moto, and three-pointers would be the dominant storyline of the next few minutes of play. The Eagles responded with back-to-back threes from Jordan Chapman and Jerome Robinson. Adala Moto then came back immediately with another 3-pointer of his own, only to find another Chapman 3-pointer soon thereafter. BC hovered around a 10-point lead for most of the rest of the half; however, Towson would close that gap in the last two minutes, finishing off the half at 45-37.
BC found its success in the first half largely from the speed and the rebounds that the Eagles have make a staple of this new team. Additionally, top notch performances from both Jerome Robinson and Nik Popovic. Robinson sunk 5 total shots from the field including a 3-pointer, plus an additional foul shot. Popovic, in addition to contributing below the basket, went 3-for-3 with one of those being a 3-pointer, the second of his college career.
The second half was a very different story, as Boston College’s lead quickly collapsed in the early minutes, as field goal attempts started to falter. Within four minutes into the half, Towson appeared to tie the game up at 49-all. However, after a time-out review, the officials changed a Ty Graves 2-pointer into a 3-pointer, making the score 50-49. No team scored for two minutes, until finally Mike Morsell was fouled while shooting, and sunk both shots from the line, giving Towson, their first lead of the night. Another foul from Popovic, his fourth, would bring the score to 53-50, which marked Towson’s biggest lead of the night. BC managed to pull themselves back on top, but solely through foul shots. In fact, there was not a single field goal scored by either team between the fifteen-minute mark and the eleven-minute mark. This drought was finally broken with a high energy drunk from Robinson, after BC has missed their last 12 from the floor. The game continued with very foul heavy play, with a significant portion of the points scored from the line. Despite this slower pace of play, the score remained tight, with the teams generally staying within three points of each other.
The Eagles finally broke away in the last two minutes of play. With the score at 68-65 Popovic hit a long two, followed by quick turnover, in which Adala Moto fouled Robinson while shooting. The officials ruled it a flagrant 2 foul, and Adala Moto was ejected. BC sunk both foul shots, and another 2-pointer after that, bringing the score to 74-68. Towson, scored again, but it would be their last, as the Eagles controlled the ball in the last minute to end the game at 80-70.
Towson did a much better job in the second half by slowing the pace down and turning it into a much more physical game, especially when it came to driving the ball below the basket. BC however, managed to maintain its lead though consistent foul shooting and solid rebounding, beating Towson on the boards 36-26. BC will be on the road for its next game against Kansas State at the Barclay’s Center, which will be the Eagle’s first game against a major conference opponent.