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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NEW YORK (AP) – A year ago, Boston College was at the bottom of
the Big East Conference, anchored there with a 3-13 record achieved
strictly on merit.
|  | | Troy Bell rings up two of his game-high 25 points for the Eagles. |
Now the Eagles (No. 9 ESPN/USA Today, No. 10 AP) are on the other end, owners of a
league-best 13-3 record and in the semifinals of the conference
tournament after Wednesday's convincing 93-79 wipeout of Villanova.
The Eagles (24-4) will face Seton Hall on Friday night after the
Pirates thumped No. 18 Georgetown 58-40 in the second game of
Thursday's afternoon doubleheader.
Coach Al Skinner credited his players for BC's stunning
turnaround.
"Attitude, intensity and approach made this team successful,"
Skinner said. "Attitude is extremely important. It's hard to get
it every night but we've had it consistently throughout the year.
Our players were embarrassed about finishing 13th last year. They
wanted to make that change."
Most of Skinner's players have been through the hard times. It's
not like they weren't warned.
"Understand that we're in a marathon," he said. "This is not
a sprint. Don't get frustrated There are going to be some tough
times. We'll continue to work at it. That's the only way it's going
to get better."
They've done it with a relentless devotion to fundamental
basketball. They scrap and scramble and they prevail.
BC wore down Villanova with a long range attack that included 10
3-point baskets. It was the third time in the last four games the
Eagles had hit 10 or more from beyond the 3-point line.
Troy Bell, the conference's co-Player of the Year, led BC with
25 points and made 10 of his 15 shots. Kenny Harley had 19 while
Ryan Sidney had 13 and Jonathan Beerbohm 12 off the bench.
"We pressured Villanova and forced them into turnovers," Bell
said. "It was exciting for me. Last year, I was out with a knee
injury. I would have loved to come out there and play. I know my
team needed me. To be out there this year in the situation we're
in, top of the Big East, we're clicking. The chemistry's going and
everything. It feels real good."
Villanova (18-12) stayed with BC through the first half and
trailed 40-34 after 20 minutes. It could have been closer but Ricky
Wright, who hit all four shots from the field in the first half,
missed a pair of free throws after the buzzer.
BC quickly extended the lead at the start of the second half
with Bell, Harley and Xavier Singletary all nailing 3-pointers in a
17-8 run that opened the lead to 57-42. Later, Bell and Harley hit
consecutive 3's that simply squeezed the life out of the Wildcats.
Typical of BC's approach was a play when Harley missed a free
throw and then dashed in to tip the rebound away from Michael
Bradley and turn the play into another field goal. Later, with BC
coasting 19 points ahead, Beerbohm caught the Wildcats napping and
threw a length of the court pass that created an easy basket for
Harley.
Wright, who made all nine of his shots from the field, led
Villanova with 21 points while Bradley had 14 and 12 rebounds.
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Villanova Clubhouse
Boston College Clubhouse
Cinderella Pirates: Seton Hall stuns Georgetown
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Boston College's Troy Bell jukes the defender on the way to the basket.
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Jonathan Beerbohm grabs the rebound and goes coast to coast for the slam.
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Villanova's Michael Bradley gets the pass in the post for the slam.
avi: 888 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Xavier Singletary makes the steal then gets the alley-oop to Troy Bell.
avi: 753 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Al Skinner credits the Eagles' victory to his team's ability to find the open man.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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