Maryland Beats Boston College 64-59
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Mark Turgeon watched Maryland struggle in another close victory, and he had absolutely no complaints.
Alex Len had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Jake Layman scored 15 and the Terrapins beat Boston College 64-59 Tuesday night.
Maryland (15-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) improved to 13-1 at home despite committing 14 turnovers and shooting only 42 percent.
"We're just trying to get better. I'm trying to figure it out," Turgeon said. "Is it any fun missing layups and dunks? No, it's not any fun. But that's where we are right now, and we've got to start making those plays."
It was the Terrapins' second victory in five games after a 13-1 start, and now they stand only two wins shy of matching last year's total in Turgeon's first year as their coach.
"We're nowhere where we want to be," Turgeon said. "But we figured out a way to win, and that's what really matters in the end."
Ryan Anderson scored 19 and Oliver Hanlan had 18 for the Eagles (9-9, 1-4). Boston College has lost four of five, with those defeats coming by a total of 14 points.
"It's not like Maryland didn't deserve the win," coach Steve Donahue said. "We didn't play good enough to beat them on the road."
During a tight second half, neither team led by more than three points until Layman made a 3-pointer to put Maryland up 48-43 with 9:12 to go, part of a 12-1 run that turned a 43-40 deficit into a 52-44 advantage. Five different players scored in the spree, which began with a 3 by Logan Aronhalt and ended with a dunk by the 7-foot-1 Len.
"We are much deeper than them, so they might have gotten tired," Len said.
After the Eagles closed to 52-49, Layman made a reverse layup and Len scored on a drive for a seven-point cushion. Boston College made only three baskets in the final five minutes, including a 3-pointer by Patrick Heckmann with 4.7 seconds left to make it 62-59.
Nick Faust then made two free throws for Maryland to clinch it.
"I told the guys if the kid misses the foul shot at the end it's a one possession game," Donahue said.
Faust had 11 points and seven assists, and teammate Dez Wells contributed eight assists.
Neither team shot 40 percent in a first half that ended tied at 29.
Maryland went up 16-9 after Boston College missed 15 of its first 18 shots, including all eight from beyond the arc.
"It wasn't a good sign," Donahue said. "Obviously what we do is predicated on making 3s, and I thought we got wide-open shots. After that stretch, I thought we were pretty good from 3."
Well, sort of. The Eagles finished 9 for 28 from beyond the arc.
It was 18-11 before Hanlan and Lonnie Jackson drilled successive 3s for the Eagles, and after the Terrapins made two free throws, a 3-pointer by Jackson tied it at 20.
Minutes later, a 3-pointer by Hanlan gave BC its first lead, 26-24, and a shot from beyond the arc by teammate Danny Rubin capped an 18-6 run that made it 29-24.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
