Winston-Salem, N.C. – Sean Marshall and Boston College were in a tight game. Fortunately for them, they didn’t get tight against Bob Knight’s team.
“We’re a relaxed ballclub,” Marshall said. “Even when we’re down, we stay the same.”
The senior responded by scoring 15 of his 21 points in the second half to help the Eagles rally for an 84-75 win Thursday.
Tyrese Rice added 26 points for the Eagles (21-11), the East Regional’s seventh seed. Jared Dudley scored 19 points to help BC win its first-round game for the fourth straight season.
“I thought we showed a lot more patience on the offensive end than we have in a long time,” Boston College coach Al Skinner said. “We didn’t really play hurried.”
The Eagles shot 53 percent for the game and used a 14-4 run to erase a four-point deficit midway through the second half, sending 10th-seeded Texas Tech (21-13) to its second first-round exit in six seasons under Knight.
“They’re a well put-together team,” Knight said. “They cut sharply. They read our defense well, and I think there’s nothing that’s probably more important to good offensive play than reading a defense well.”
Martin Zeno scored 21 points to lead the Red Raiders, but leading scorer Jarrius Jackson finished with only 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting.
NORTH CAROLINA 86, EASTERN KENTUCKY 65
Tyler Hansbrough had 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the Tar Heels beat Eastern Kentucky in the first round, giving coach Roy Williams an NCAA-record 18 straight years with at least one tournament victory.
Reyshawn Terry added 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting for the Tar Heels (29-6), who led by as many as 27 points in the first half, then watched the 16th-seeded Colonels (21-12) claw to within four points early after the break before the Tar Heels took control in the final 10 minutes.
It was an emotional day for Williams. A team spokesman confirmed Williams’ sister died Wednesday night, and athletic director Dick Baddour said he thought the coach had remained with his team leading up to the game.
GEORGETOWN 80, BELMONT 55
Jessie Sapp scored a career-high 20 points and led the second-seeded Hoyas over 15th- seeded Belmont in the East Regional.
Jeff Green added 15 points and Sapp made a career-high four 3-pointers for the Hoyas (27-6), who advanced to the second round for the second straight year and will renew a one-time Big East rivalry Saturday when they face seventh-seeded Boston College.
MICHIGAN STATE 61, MARQUETTE 49
Raymar Morgan scored eight of his 14 points during a dominating first half, and ninth-seeded Michigan State clamped down on eighth- seeded Marquette for a win in the first round of the East Regional.
Drew Neitzel and Marquise Gray added 12 points apiece for the Spartans (23-11), who shot nearly 54 percent and never trailed.
The nation’s fourth-best scoring defense also held Marquette (24-10) scoreless for almost 10 minutes to start the game.
Dominic James scored 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting and Wesley Matthews added 10 points for Marquette.
At Winston-Salem, N.C.
EAST REGIONAL
First round
Boston College 84, Texas Tech 75
Georgetown 80, Belmont 55
Michigan State 61, Marquette 49
N. Carolina 86, E. Kentucky 65
Second round
Georgetown (27-6) vs. Boston College (21-11), Saturday, 3:50 p.m.
North Carolina (29-6) vs. Michigan State (23-11), 30 minutes after
BOSTON COLLEGE 84, TEXAS TECH 75
TEXAS TECH (21-13)
Plefka 3-6 0-0 8, Dora 2-5 1-2 5, Zeno 9-15 3-3 21, Jackson 4-14 0-0 10, Burgess 6-13 0-0 12, D. White 2-5 2-2 7, Voskuil 4-6 2-2 12, Prince 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-65 8-9 75.
BOSTON COLLEGE (21-11)
Dudley 9-16 1-2 19, Roche 0-2 2-2 2, Oates 4-5 0-0 11, Rice 8-18 8-8 26, Marshall 8-14 2-4 21, Haynes 0-0 2-2 2, Spears 0-1 1-2 1, Blair 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 30-57 16-20 84.
Halftime – Boston College 41-39. 3-point goals – Texas Tech 7-17 (Voskuil 2-3, Plefka 2-4, Jackson 2-4, D.White 1-1, Zeno 0-1, Dora 0-2, Burgess 0-2), Boston College 8-20 (Oates 3-4, Marshall 3-6, Rice 2-7, Dudley 0-3). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – Texas Tech 27 (Dora 4), Boston College 35 (Dudley 7, Marshall 7, Oates 7). Assists – Texas Tech 11 (Dora 4), Boston College 16 (Rice 4). Total fouls – Texas Tech 15, BC 10. A – 14,148.
GEORGETOWN 80, BELMONT 55
BELMONT (23-10)
Dotson 2-6 0-0 5, Preston 5-8 4-9 14, Goodwin 0-0 0-0 0, Harris 3-5 0-0 7, Wicke 2-11 0-0 6, Belcher 0-1 1-2 1, House 1-2 0-0 2, Dansby 2-4 0-0 4, Dejworek 0-0 0-0 0, Hare 3-11 2-2 10, Brand 0-0 0-0 0, Herndon 2-8 1-2 5, Peeples 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 20-56 9-17 55.
GEORGETOWN (27-6)
Summers 2-9 2-3 6, Green 6-9 3-4 15, Hibbert 4-10 2-3 10, Wallace 2-6 0-0 6, Sapp 8-10 0-0 20, Macklin 2-2 4-5 8, Izzo 0-0 0-0 0, Rivers 1-1 1-2 3, Crawford 1-1 0-0 3, Spann 1-1 0-0 2, Ewing Jr. 2-4 1-1 5, Dizdarevic 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 29-53 15-20 80.
Halftime – Georgetown 38-25. 3-point goals – Belmont 6-26 (Hare 2-7, Wicke 2-11, Harris 1-2, Dotson 1-3, Preston 0-1, House 0-1, Belcher 0-1), Georgetown 7-16 (Sapp 4-6, Wallace 2-4, Crawford 1-1, Ewing Jr. 0-1, Green 0-1, Summers 0-3). Fouled out – Peeples. Rebounds – Belmont 30 (Dansby 5, Harris 5), Georgetown 39 (Hibbert 13). Assists – Belmont 10 (Peeples 3), Georgetown 17 (Rivers 7). Total fouls – Belmont 16, George. 16. A – 14,148.
MICHIGAN STATE 61, MARQUETTE 49
MICHIGAN STATE (23-11)
Morgan 4-7 6-6 14, Gray 4-5 4-4 12, Naymick 2-3 0-0 4, Walton 2-2 1-2 5, Neitzel 4-11 2-3 12, Ibok 0-0 0-0 0, Suton 3-5 0-0 6, Dahlman 0-0 0-0 0, Joseph 2-6 0-0 6, Hannon 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 22-41 13-15 61.
MARQUETTE (24-10)
Fitzgerald 2-7 0-0 6, Hayward 2-5 0-0 4, Barro 0-0 1-2 1, James 6-16 2-2 18, Matthews 2-9 5-6 10, Cubillan 3-8 0-0 9, Burke 0-1 0-2 0, Kinsella 0-1 0-0 0, Lott 0-0 1-3 1. Totals 15-47 9-15 49.
Halftime – Mich. St. 30-18. 3-point goals – Mich. St. 4-10 (Joseph 2-4, Neitzel 2-6), Marquette 10-29 (James 4-10, Cubillan 3-8, Fitzgerald 2-6, Matthews 1-4, Hayward 0-1). Fouled out – Fitzgerald, Naymick. Rebounds – Mich. St. 28 (Morgan 9), Marquette 29 (Matthews 6). Assists – Mich. St. 17 (Neitzel 5, Walton 5), Marquette 7 (Cubillan 3). Total fouls – Mich. St. 18, Marquette 19. A – 14,148.
NORTH CAROLINA 86, E. KENTUCKY 65
EASTERN KENTUCKY (21-12)
Brock 3-8 0-0 6, Dialls 8-9 0-0 17, Leonard 5-12 2-2 14, Rose 5-13 0-0 13, Mascoll 6-8 0-0 12, Mestdagh 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 0-4 0-0 0, Daniel 0-1 1-4 1, Taylor 0-2 0-0 0, Douglas 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-59 3-6 65.
NORTH CAROLINA (29-6)
Terry 8-9 0-0 18, Wright 6-11 1-2 13, Hansbrough 9-11 3-5 21, Ellington 4-8 2-2 12, Lawson 5-9 0-1 12, Ginyard 1-2 0-0 2, Frasor 1-2 0-0 2, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Green 1-2 0-1 2, Burke 0-1 0-0 0, Thompson 2-2 0-0 4, Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Wood 0-0 0-0 0, Stepheson 0-0 0-0 0, Copeland 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-57 6-11 86.
Halftime – North Carolina 47-35. 3-point goals – E. Kentucky 6-22 (Rose 3-8, Leonard 2-8, Dialls 1-1, Brock 0-1, Mascoll 0-2, Taylor 0-2), N. Carolina 6-13 (Lawson 2-2, Terry 2-3, Ellington 2-5, Frasor 0-1, Green 0-1, Burke 0-1). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – E. Kentucky 16 (Brock 4, Dialls 4), N. Carolina 38 (Hansbrough 10). Assists – E. Kentucky 14 (Brock 3), N. Carolina 24 (Lawson 7). Total fouls – E. Kentucky 13, N. Carolina 8. A – 14,148.
