Dec. 23, 2008

Box Score

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Sophomore Corey Raji tallied 26 points and 13 rebounds - both career highs - and senior Tyrese Rice totaled 21 points and nine assists to lead Boston College to a 99-61 win over Maine before 2,692 fans in Conte Forum.

Raji shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the field, the best single-game shooting effort by a BC player since Martin Clark shot 13-for-13 against Bentley on Dec. 11, 1982.

Raji grabbed nine of his 13 rebounds at the offensive end. He converted five of those nine rebounds for field goals.

Rice shot 8-for-13 from the floor, including 3-for-5 from three-point range. He also shot 2-for-2 from the foul line. He assisted on seven of the Eagles' first 11 baskets (in the game's first 7:30).

Sophomore Joe Trapani netted 15 points for his 10th double-figure scoring effort of the season. Classmate Rakim Sanders rounded out the list of double-digit scorers with 12 points. Sanders also recorded seven assists and a game-high four steals.

BC shot 55.6 percent from the floor - 53.8 percent in the first half and 57.6 percent in the second half. The Eagles made 40 field goals, the highest single-game total since making 42 against St. Bonaventure in HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 28, 2001.

BC totaled 50 rebounds, the highest single-game total since matching that number at NC State on Jan. 6, 2007.

For the second straight game, BC never trailed. Trapani's field goal with 17:08 left in the first half gave BC a 6-4 lead that the team never relinquished.

BC led 13-9 five minutes into the contest before running off 11 straight points to claim a 24-9 cushion. Later in the half, the Eagles used a 12-0 run to extend their margin to 21 points - 38-17 - with 5:30 left in the half.

BC closed the half with a 50-26 lead. Trapani (11 points), Raji (10 points), Rice (nine points) and Sanders (eight points) led the Eagles in the first 20 minutes.

Game Notes: BC was credited with 26 assists on 40 baskets ... BC committed just nine turnovers ... For Raji, the game marked his second collegiate double-double ... Freshman Reggie Jackson posted five points (2-for-2 field goals) and four assists in 17 minutes of action.