February 10, 2001

Boston College came into the Virginia Tech game ranked in the top 20 and the Eagles showed why by pounding the Hokies 83-59 in front of 5,356 fans at Cassell Coliseum. With the win, the Eagles improved to 18-2 on the season, including a 9-1 mark in the BIG EAST.

Meanwhile, Tech lost its fourth straight game and fell to 8-14 on the season, with a 2-9 mark in the league. Tech remains two games behind UConn, Villanova and Miami for the final spot in the race for the BIG EAST tournament with just five games left in the season.

One needs only to look at one category to figure out how BC won this game - turnovers. Tech, which turned the ball over a season-high 30 times in the teams' first meeting on Jan. 31, turned the ball over 24 times in this one. Tech's turnovers led to 29 BC points.

"We knew what it would take," Tech head coach Ricky Stokes said. "The same thing hurt us in Boston. I thought coming back home we would handle their pressure a little better. They don't play tenacious defense, but you have to be able to handle the basketball and make good decisions. And we didn't do that."

BC took control midway through the first half, going on a 15-2 run to take a 35-15 lead. The Eagles led by 14 at halftime and then put the Hokies away at the start of the second half.

An 11-0 BC run to start the second half doomed Tech. The Hokies found themselves trailing by 25 after committing four turnovers on their first seven possessions. Tech never got closer than 18 the rest of the way.

"It's not a pleasant feeling," said Tech guard Brian Chase, who led the Hokies with16 points and four assists. "Coach didn't say much [after the game]. If he had said anything, it would be the same things he's been telling us and I know he's tired of telling us the same thing over and over. It's really up to us."

Tech, which shot just 37.3 percent from the floor, also got 12 points from Joe Hamilton and 11 from Bryant Matthews. BC, which shot 45.1 percent and outrebounded Tech 37-33, had three players in double figures, led by point guard Troy Bell's 22 points, including five 3-pointers.

The Hokies continue their homestand next Wednesday night when West Virginia comes to Cassell Coliseum. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.