Boston College and North Carolina combined to score 41 points in the first half, and the Eagles were held scoreless for the first seven minutes. Yet somehow, someway, BC found itself trailing by two with less than 20 seconds left.
Reggie Jackson had a chance to be the hero,but his straightaway three-pointer with two seconds remaining rimmed out, sealing the 48-46 win for No. 19 North Carolina on Saturday afternoon at the Smith Center.
Jackson finished with 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting for BC (16-10, 6-6 ACC), which shot an embarrassing 26.9% for the game (14-for-52) and was 7-for-27 beyond the arc (25.9%). Joe Trapani had 13 points and eight rebounds and Corey Raji added eight points, six rebounds and four assists for the Eagles.
BC amassed 25 rebounds, eight offensive, and had nine assists, 11 steals, two blocks and eight turnovers.
Tyler Zeller scored a game-high 16 points and collected nine rebounds for UNC (20-6, 10-2 ACC). Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshall each scored 10 points, with Barnes grabbing nine rebounds and Marshall dishing out seven assists. John Henson added six points and a game-high 12 rebounds for North Carolina.
North Carolina made 21-of-57 field goals (36.8%) and only 2-of-11 threes (18.2%) while finishing with 39 rebounds (14 offensive), 10 assists, four blocks, three steals and 13 turnovers.
Neither team would find the basket for nearly three minutes until Henson dunked with 17:06 left in the opening half. The Tar Heels built a 7-0 lead and held the Eagles scoreless for the first 12:45 before Trapani buried a three to put BC on the scoreboard.
The Eagles closed out the half on a 17-14 run to cut the UNC lead to 21-20 entering the break, the lowest total in one half by UNC in the Roy Williams era.
UNC got back on track in the early stages of the second half, opening up a 33-23 lead with 13:45 left. Zeller scored the first seven points of the half for the Tar Heels, who held BC to 1-of-12 shooting to open the final half.
Miraculously, the Eagles marched back into the game courtesy of a pair of threes from Raji with 5:53 and 4:56 left, respectively, cutting the deficit to 45-40. BC had a chance to cut the lead to three with Trapani at the free throw line, but he missed the first and made the second to cut the UNC lead to four.
Barnes made a jumper with 2:37 left to open up a 47-41 lead. Jackson missed a three with 2:19 left, but Trapani grabbed the rebound. The Eagles regrouped and got the ball to Trapani behind the arc, who took and made the three with 2:12 left.Unfortunately, Eagles head coach Steve Donahue called a timeout just before Trapani's three, which would have brought BC within three points.
After the timeout, Trapani fouled Zeller, who made one of two free throws with 1:22 to go. Jackson responded with a clutch three on the other end, trimming the Tar Heels lead to 48-46, where it would stay.
Boston College returns home to Conte Forum to face ACC opponent Miami (FL) on Wednesday night. UNC travels to play N.C. State on Wednesday night.