WASHINGTON — Reece Beekman had 11 points and 11 assists, and Virginia took a step toward an NCAA Tournament berth — and to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament — with a 66-60 overtime victory over Boston College on Thursday night.
The Cavaliers (23-9) were nearly done in by 8-of-18 free throw shooting, but their stellar defense was enough to carry them through the final minutes. Boston College went over five minutes without scoring before Mason Madsen of the Eagles made a jumper at the buzzer to force overtime.
Then Virginia allowed only one basket in the extra session.
Quinten Post had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the 11th-seeded Eagles (19-15), who were trying to win for the third time in three days. Post went 9 of 20 from the field, and Virginia's Jordan Minor did a terrific job defensively toward the end.
Virginia faces 10th-seeded N.C. State on Friday after the Wolfpack beat second-seeded Duke on Thursday.
The Cavaliers are on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and a loss to this Boston College team would have been a bad final impression to leave. The game became a battle of attrition late. After Post's layup gave Boston College a 55-53 lead, the Eagles missed their next eight shots.
Virginia wasn't much better, finally going ahead 57-55 when Jacob Groves made two free throws with 29 seconds to play. Then Madsen tied it.
Boston College didn't score again until the final minute of overtime. By then, Isaac McKneely and Beekman had made 3s to put the Cavaliers up by six.
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