Toledo rallied for win over BC, 95-92

Nov 14, 2013, 10:33 pm

BOSTON -- Julius Brown scored 23 points, Justin Drummond had 20 and Toledo overcame a late deficit to beat Boston College 95-92 in the opening round of the 2K Sports Classic on Thursday night.

Nathan Boothe had 17 points and J.D. Weatherspoon had 13 for the Rockets (1-1).

Olivier Hanlan led Boston College (0-3) with 18 points and Joe Rahon and Ryan Anderson had 15 apiece.

With Boston College trailing 92-89, Patrick Heckmann went to the line with a chance to tie it with 8.8 seconds left after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt in front of the Eagles' bench. He swished the first two before back-rimming the third, bringing a loud gasp from the crowd.

Weatherspoon nailed two from the line with 6.6 seconds to make it 94-91 before Anderson was fouled catching the in-bounds pass. He made the first and missed the second.

Rian Pearson's free made it a three-point edge and Anderson had his shot off blocked as the horn sounded.

Trailing by eight with 3 1/2 minutes left, the Rockets made a late charge, tying it at 86 on Drummond's two free throws with 1:21 to play.

After a missed 3 by BC's Heckmann, Brown nailed a 15-foot fallaway on the next possession.

BC's Anderson missed a short jumper in the lane and the Eagles were forced to foul Drummond, who hit two from the line, capping a 14-2 run that gave the Rockets a 90-86 lead.

Heckmann's 3-point play closed it to 90-89 with 28.1 seconds left. Boothe then hit two free throws before Heckmann was fouled attempting his 3.

The Eagles had opened a 10-point advantage early in the second half, but every time they seemed like they were starting to take control the Rockets would climb back into it.

Toledo made it a one possession game four times over a 3 1/2 minute span until Rahon's 3 from the left corner made it 75-69 with just over 7 minutes left.

BC slowly pushed its lead to 84-76, making six free throws over a span filled with whistles that slowed down any of the game's flow.

After Rahon's 3, there was a 5 minute stretch were nearly every trip had a foul called and free throw attempts.

Boston College led by eight at the half and pushed it to 52-42 on Anderson's free throw 1:18 into the second before Toledo scored the next six points, slicing it to 52-48 on Boothe's basket with 17 1/2 minutes to play.

The Eagles led 48-40 halftime.