South Carolina uses 3-pointers, stingy defense to rout Boston College

Collin Murray-Boyles had 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead South Carolina to a 73-51 win at Boston College on Tuesday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The Gamecocks (5-3) also got 11 points from Nick Pringle and nine from Morris Ugusuk in a game where they knocked down 10 of 19 3-pointers (52.6 percent). Seven different South Carolina players hit at least one 3-pointer, with Ugusuk canning all three of his attempts.

Chad Venning piled up 12 points, six rebounds and three blocks for the Eagles (6-3) in their second straight loss since winning five in a row. Donald Hand Jr. paired 10 points with seven rebounds.

Boston College jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, but the Gamecocks pulled away in the first half with a 19-4 run that gave them a 33-17 cushion with 1:40 left before halftime. That stretch included an 11-0 run, with Murray-Boyles making a pair of layups.

South Carolina carried a 36-19 lead into the break after holding the Eagles to just 28.6 percent shooting from the field.

Boston College never got within 15 points in the second half. While the Gamecocks shot 7-of-9 from 3-point range after halftime, the Eagles went just 1-for-8 from distance, just as they did in the first half.

South Carolina had 16 assists on 23 made baskets, while Boston College had just seven dimes on 19 field goals.

The Gamecocks improved to 3-0 this season when making at least 10 3-pointers. The result also stands as one of South Carolina's best defensive performances so far this season - only Towson (29.6 percent) shot worse from the floor than Boston College did (33.3 percent), and the Eagles' 51 points marks the least the Gamecocks have allowed through eight games.

Boston College finished with its fewest points in a game this season.

South Carolina won despite missing eight free throws and getting outscored 30-26 in the paint.

--Field Level Media