Boston College Battles Back, But Late-Game Woes Persist in Loss to Miami
Boston College has shown flashes this season-moments where the offense clicks, the defense locks in, and the energy inside Conte Forum feels like it could tip a game in their favor. Saturday afternoon was another one of those almosts.
The Eagles clawed back from two separate double-digit deficits and had things tied at 61 with four minutes to play, but once again, they couldn’t close the deal. Miami, behind a 23-point performance from Malik Reneau and a scorching second-half shooting display, pulled away late to grab a 74-68 win-the Hurricanes’ first victory over BC in three seasons.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for a Boston College team that’s now 2-8 in ACC play and 9-14 overall. But if there’s one thing Earl Grant’s squad has done consistently, it’s fight. And they showed that fight again in this one.
First Half: Trading Punches, Then Chipping Away
The opening minutes were a back-and-forth affair. BC got on the board early thanks to a three from freshman big man Boden Kapke, taking a 10-9 lead just five minutes in.
But Miami quickly found its rhythm. Malik Reneau and Shelton Henderson powered a 11-4 run that gave the Hurricanes a 20-14 edge midway through the half.
BC hung around, though. A Donald Hand Jr. triple with eight minutes left trimmed the deficit to three, but Miami responded again-this time with a transition dunk by Henderson that pushed the lead to seven. A minute later, it ballooned to 10, and the Eagles looked like they might be in trouble.
But then came Fred Payne.
After missing his first six shots, the sophomore guard found his groove, rattling off six straight points to breathe life back into the Eagles’ offense. Kapke added a soft hook in the lane with under a minute to play, and suddenly BC had stormed back to within one, 34-33, heading into halftime.
Kapke was a force early, finishing the half with 11 points and 6 boards, while Hand Jr. added 9 points on an efficient 3-of-4 shooting. As a team, BC shot just 37% in the first 20 minutes, but they made the most of their chances late to stay within striking distance. Reneau led all scorers at the break with 13 points, and Miami shot 41.4% as a unit.
Second Half: A Familiar Script
The second half began with both teams struggling to find the bottom of the net, but Miami stayed steady. Reneau continued to attack, and the Hurricanes methodically built a 50-40 lead with just under 12 minutes to play as BC’s offense sputtered to a 3-for-14 start in the half.
But just when things looked like they might unravel, Boston College punched back-again.
Caleb Steger, who had been quiet for much of the game, came alive with back-to-back threes that cut the deficit to four. Then came a sequence that felt like it might turn the tide: Hand Jr. drilled a deep three, Payne converted a fast-break layup, and suddenly the Eagles were within one, 56-57, with just over six minutes remaining.
Moments later, Hand Jr. hit a tough turnaround jumper to give BC its first lead of the second half. Conte Forum was rocking. The momentum was real.
But it didn’t last.
A costly turnover by Payne turned into an easy Miami bucket. Then, with the game tied at 61, another BC miscue-this time from Hand Jr.-led to a fast-break layup by Dante Allen that swung the game back in Miami’s favor for good. The Hurricanes closed things out with free throws and clutch buckets, capping off a 64% shooting second half that proved too much for the Eagles to overcome.
Final Numbers and Takeaways
Malik Reneau was the difference-maker. The Miami forward poured in 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting, anchoring a Hurricanes offense that shot 51% from the field overall.
That second half? Clinical.
Miami’s ability to execute down the stretch was the separator.
For Boston College, the story was all too familiar. A strong effort.
A spirited comeback. But late-game execution-on both ends-proved elusive.
Hand Jr. was terrific, finishing with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting and keeping BC in it when the offense stalled. Kapke continued to show promise as a foundational piece in the frontcourt, notching a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Payne, however, had a rough shooting day, going just 5-of-18 from the field, and BC as a team finished at 40% overall.
After the game, head coach Earl Grant summed it up with a familiar refrain: “We haven't been victorious in as many close games that we want to be, but we've got another game coming up, so you've got to keep practicing, you've got to keep chopping, you've got to keep believing.”
That belief is being tested, no doubt. But if there’s one thing this BC team has shown, it’s resilience.
They may not be stacking wins, but they’re not folding either. And in a conference as unforgiving as the ACC, that’s a foundation you can build on-even if the scoreboard hasn’t reflected it yet.