BOSTON (AP) — Tyrese Rice hit a key 3-pointer with 20.5 seconds to play and Joe Trapani scored 19 points to lead Boston College to a 72-67 upset of No. 23 Florida State on Tuesday night.
It was the Eagles (20-9, 8-6 ACC) third win this season against one of the conference's top teams. They handed then-No. 1 North Carolina its first loss on Jan. 4 in Chapel Hill and beat No. 7 Duke at home nine days ago.
Rice, who finished with just 11 points, was scoreless in the first half, but hit his 3 as the Eagles were clinging to a one-point lead. Rakim Sanders added 16 points and nine rebounds for Boston College.
Toney Douglas led the Seminoles (21-7, 8-5) with 19 points, but committed six of their 18 turnovers. Soloman Alabi had 16 points and seven rebounds.
Florida State, which entered the day in a three-way tie for second place behind North Carolina, lost for just second time in seven games.
BC led 57-54 with just under seven minutes left before scoring seven straight points. Trapani started the spree with a 3-pointer from the top. Biko Paris then scored on a drive and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but connected on a left-handed scoop shot in the lane 19 seconds later, making it 64-54 with 5:57 to play.
The Seminoles, who trailed by nine earlier in the second half, came back again, scoring the next eight points to close it to two on Douglas' 3 from the left wing.
Florida State came within one twice in the final 3:09 — both times when Alabi hit two free throws — the second made it 68-67.
Rice then nailed his key three after Albai missed a turned around on the other end.
Rice missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and the Eagles missed a pair of shots after offensive rebounds.
Douglas, who hadn't committed a turnover in nearly 3½ games entering the contest — his last coming 8:01 into the second half against Virginia on Feb. 10 — had four in an opening half which saw both teams best players struggle.
The Seminoles, who re-entered the Top 25 for the second time in three weeks Monday, pulled to a 16-4 edge 7:36 into the game before BC, which missed seven of its first nine shots, climbed back into it.
BC reserve forward Tyler Roche was sidelined with the flu.
The Seminoles moved into the Top 25 two weeks ago for the first time this season, then fell out following a 23-point loss to Wake Forest on Feb. 14.
BC, on the other hand, has had a strange up-and-down season, beating North Carolina before losing to Harvard in its next game. The Eagles defeated No. 7 Duke nine days ago, but lost for the second time this season against Miami last Saturday.
