J.J. Starling, Syracuse stage rally, upend Boston College

J.J. Starling scored a game-high 26 points to help Syracuse rally past Boston College 79-71 in an ACC matchup Saturday in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Eddie Lampkin added 10 points and 13 rebounds for Syracuse, which outscored BC 47-39 in the second half. Lucas Taylor (15), Jyare Davis (12) and Kyle Cuff Jr. (10) also scored in double figures for Syracuse (8-8, 2-3).

Donald Hand Jr. led BC (9-7, 1-4) with 20 points and nine rebounds. Hand made each of his nine free-throw attempts. Chad Venning and Josh Beadle each finished with 17 points for the Eagles, who led by eight with just under nine minutes to play.

Syracuse's second-leading scorer and top rebounder Donnie Freeman missed his second straight game with a lower leg injury. The freshman forward is averaging 13.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and shooting 50.4 percent from the floor.

BC used a 7-0 run to take a 13-12 lead with 12:54 left in the first half, but Syracuse responded with three straight 3-pointers to go up 21-13. Beadle connected on a 3-pointer just before the first-half buzzer sounded to make it 32-32 at halftime.

Neither team shot well in the first 20 minutes. BC was 11 of 29 from the floor (37.9 percent) and Syracuse was 13 of 31 (41.9 percent).

BC had its largest lead after a Chas Kelley III free throw completed a three-point play to put the Eagles up 54-46 with 8:51 to play. Syracuse then scored the next 10 points and led 56-54 after a Starling jumper with 5:40 remaining.

Cuffe broke a 56-56 tie by sinking a 3-pointer with 4:51 left. Venning answered with a jump shot that cut BC's deficit to 59-58, but Syracuse used an 11-3 spurt to take a 70-61 lead with 1:23 remaining. The Eagles failed to get closer than six the rest of the way.

Starling scored six points during the 11-3 run.

--Field Level Media