Feb. 24, 2001

Box Score

By JIM O'CONNELL
AP Basketball Writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Boston College overcame its worst half of the season and foul trouble to leading scorer Troy Bell as the 10th-ranked Eagles beat No. 25 Providence 59-58 Saturday.

The victory clinched a bye for Boston College (20-4, 11-3) in the Big East tournament and allowed the Eagles to continue their pursuit of becoming the first team in league history to go from last place to first.

Providence (20-8, 10-5) led 31-23 at halftime in holding the Eagles to their lowest scoring 20 minutes of the season.

With 9:25 to play, and Providence leading 48-47, Bell, who averages 20.5 points per game, picked up his fourth foul. While he was out, the Eagles went on an 8-1 run and they led 57-49 when Bell returned with 4:52 to play.

Both teams struggled offensively down the stretch, but Boston College was up 59-52 with 1:07 to play. Providence scored the next six points, the last two a drive by John Lenihan with 17 seconds left that made it 59-58.

Kenny Harley of Boston College missed two free throws with 9.9 seconds to play. Providence's final chance came on an inbounds with 5.8 seconds left and after almost losing the ball on a turnover, Romauld Augustin's jumper from about 15 feet bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Bell and Uka Agbai each had 16 points for the Eagles, who finished with a 46-31 rebound advantage, 24-11 on the offensive end, and had their worst shooting game of the season at 31.1 percent (19-for-61).

Harley led the Eagles with 11 rebounds but he was 2-for-12 from the field and 0-for-4 from the free-throw line.

Linehan had 13 points for the Friars, while Karim Shabazz had 12, all in the second half.

Boston College, who beat Providence 81-73 in the earlier meeting this season, can clinch first place in the Big East's East Division if St. John's loses Sunday at Villanova.