Nov 8, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; A detailed view of an official game ball with the NCAA logo prior to the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the East Texas A&M Lions at Reed Arena. The Aggies defeated the Lions 87-55. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Elijah Strong recorded a career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds for his first career double-double as Boston College topped visiting Temple 72-69 on Friday in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Strong (11 of 19 from the field) scored 15 points to help the Eagles (2-1) build a 14-point first-half lead. They then held off a comeback before holding the visitors to just one field goal over the final 8:42.
Donald Hand Jr. added 17 points and Chad Venning 10 for Boston College’s offense.
The Eagles shot 42.6 percent, including 56.3 in the first half.
Jamal Mashburn Jr. led Temple (3-1) with 23 points and four assists, while Steve Settle III scored 15 to go along with eight rebounds.
After the teams traded baskets in the first three minutes of the second half, Temple went on a 9-0 run at 3:55 to take a 55-50 lead with 13:24 left. Settle’s difficult layup between two defenders turned the score in favor of the Owls, while Zion Stanford’s coast-to-coast finish closed the streak.
Hand’s 3-pointer helped the Eagles go on a 5-0 run to tie the score before Elijah Gray (10 points) hit a straight 3-pointer and made a layup with 8:42 left to give Temple a 1-0 lead. 61-57.
From there, both teams did not score from the field until Hand’s transition dunk and Strong’s three-point play gave Boston College a 64-63 lead at the 5:06 mark.
Strong scored two key baskets late, including a crash off the glass for a layup with 26 seconds left for a 70-66 lead, but Mashburn’s three points broke Temple’s eight-minute field goal drought.
Strong increased the Eagles’ lead with a free throw before Gray was fouled and fumbled, allowing Chas Kelley III to increase the lead to three points. Mashburn’s final three-point attempt fell short.
Stanford blocked three shots to keep Temple close until the end.
After trailing by 14, the Owls closed to within 46-41 at halftime, capping an 11-5 run on Mashburn’s jumper with 40 seconds left.
–Field level media
