BOSTON (AP) Jairus Hamilton scored a career-high 23 points, Jay Heath added 15 points and Boston College snapped a four-game losing with a 61-56 victory over Virginia Tech Saturday afternoon.
Jared Hamilton had his only two baskets of the game in the final 3 1/2 minutes for the Eagles (10-10, 4-5 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Landers Nolley II led the Hokies (14-6, 5-4) with 15 points and Nahiem Alleyne added 10. Virginia Tech had won four of its last five games and its previous five against BC.
Virginia Tech had opened a six-point lead with 8 1/2 minutes to play, but the Eagles sliced it to 49-48 on Jairus Hamilton's 3 from the right wing with 5:05 left. Steffon Mitchell went to the line with a chance to put BC ahead on the next possession, but he missed both free throws.
But Jairus Hamilton did end BC's miserable day temporarily at the free-throw line at the end of the next possession, hitting both to give the Eagles a 50-49 edge. They had missed 10 of their initial 15 from the line.
Jared Hamilton the hit consecutive jumpers, making it 54-51, the second a one-handed runner from the right baseline.
Jairus Hamilton added a 3 from the top, pushing BC in front 57-53 with just over two minutes left.
BC had trailed by five at halftime, but tied it at 35 on Derryck Thornton's 3-pointer. The teams were also tied at 37 before Virginia Tech went on a 7-1 spree.
The Hokies had opened a 10-point lead in the first half en route to a 31-26 edge at intermission despite eight turnovers for a team that averages just over nine a game.
BELL MOMENT
BC retired the jersey of former two-time All-American guard Troy Bell at halftime,
He's still the school's all-time leading scorer (2,632 points). He played for the Eagles from 1999-2003 and won the Big East rookie of the year award.
''I never envisioned this moment,'' he said at a morning press conference, standing on the court. ''I had great teammates and coaches. We were having a great time, doing something we would have done for free. To be here and being honored is amazing.''
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech: At Miami on Tuesday.
Boston College: Hosts No. 6 Louisville Wednesday.