CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The losses have come in bunches this season for Boston College, and the downward slide continued Wednesday night. In the middle of the most brutal stretch of their Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, the Eagles fell, 61-47, at John Paul Jones Arena against No. 9 Virginia.
The road trip here was preceded by a Saturday loss at No. 2 North Carolina, and a trip to No. 19 Louisville awaits this weekend. Wednesday’s game against the surging Cavaliers (18-4, 7-3) would have been difficult enough at full-strength, but the Eagles limped in to Charlottesville shorthanded, with second-leading scorer Jerome Robinson out because of a broken right wrist and Darryl Hicks still sidelined because of a concussion.
With Eli Carter, BC’s leading scorer this season, limited to 7 points on 2-of-10 shooting Wednesday, the Eagles left Charlottesville still winless in the ACC at 0-9, 7-15 overall. Virginia’s aggressive defense limited BC to 26.5 percent shooting from the field, holding coach Jim Christian’s team to a season-low 13 field goals for the game. It was BC’s ninth straight loss.
“I thought we competed for 40 minutes. We just were real cold and couldn’t make shots,’’ said Christian, who credited Carter with reversing the ball quickly to open teammates as Virginia’s defense surged to deny him shots. “When you play them, they are so ball conscious, that you have to throw the ball back, and we did. We just couldn’t make a shot out of that.
“Credit to them, they’re obviously an excellent defensive team, but those are shots that we are going to have to hit.’’
Boston College started the game intent on doubling Virginia senior forward Anthony Gill to limit his scoring chances. However, that opened things up for senior guard Malcolm Brogdon. The ACC’s preseason co-player of the year hit all five of his 3-point shots and finished with 27 points and six rebounds.
The 6-foot-5-inch Brogdon also played a key role in limiting Carter’s open looks throughout the game.
“On the pick-and-rolls, their bigs stayed with me so the throwbacks were open all night, and guys have to step up and make shots,’’ Carter said. “Tonight, those shots weren’t falling. They’re a pretty good defensive team, one of the best in the ACC, but we just need to keep playing, keep working hard and get ready for the next day. . . . It’s the only thing you can do.’’
Freshman Sammy Barnes-Thompkins finished with a career high 14 points to lead the Eagles. He hit four 3-pointers, enough to draw the focus of Virginia’s aggressive defense in the second half.
“I think they were keying on me a little bit,’’ Barnes-Thompkins said.
Barnes-Thompkins kept the Eagles close in the first half with a pair of 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to trim the Cavaliers’ lead to 16-15 with 8:35 left, but Virginia methodically pulled away after halftime. Leading, 29-20, at the break, the Cavaliers stretched that lead to 25 with 5:29 left before they began subbing out regulars, allowing Boston College to close the game on an 11-0 run.
“They wore down,’’ Virginia coach Tony Bennett said of Boston College’s second-half fade before its flurry of late points against the Cavaliers’ walk-ons. “They don’t have depth, and they got tired, and you could see their shots just weren’t as close.’’
It won’t get any easier for the Eagles as they continue to seek their first ACC win of the season. After Saturday’s trip to Louisville, the Tar Heels will be waiting for them at home on Feb. 9.
