BOSTON -- Jason Dunne had a chance to do something probably every young basketball player practices at home. He didnt miss.Dunne nailed a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left and finished with a career-best 25 points to lift Hartford to its first-ever win against an Atlantic Coast Conference school, 65-63 over Boston College on Friday night.Its what everyone dreams about playing out in the driveway when youre 8-years-old, and you cant have any doubt, Dunne said. Its huge for the university, huge for school and huge for the program -- and a big-time win there.Jalen Ross added 16 points for the Hawks (3-8), who had lost seven of eight. J.R. Lynch had 10 points.Were usually in these types of games. We just never finished them, coach John Gallagher said. Credit to our guys, they made some tough shots.A.J. Turner led the Eagles (4-5) with 13 points, and Connar Tava had 12.BC had taken the lead twice in the final minute.Like I told them, `Its disappointing, but if you dont come to play in Division 1 basketball, you get beat, BC coach Jim Christian said.Jerome Robinson, who was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference scoring at 20.8 per game, was shaken up when he hit the floor hard late in the first half and had only four points.Christian also said after the game that he was tired.Robinsons short jumper in the lane had given BC a 63-62 edge with 13.1 seconds left before Dunne nailed his game-winner from the right wing.Robinson missed a half-court shot at the buzzer, and the Hawks players celebrated in front of their bench.Hartford had led 56-49 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining before the Eagles went on an 8-0 spurt that was capped by Jordan Chatmans 3-pointer with 2:29 left.Behind the first seven points by Dunne, the Hawks went on a 9-0 spree early in the second half to pull in front 41-30 with 15:08 to play.In a sloppy first half that featured poor shooting and, at times, careless ball handling, both schools went through lengthy stretches without a basket before Hartford scored the final seven points to take a 27-23 edge into intermission.BIG PICTUREHartford: The effort should give the Hawks confidence going into America East play. Behind the resurgence of Dunnes scoring this season (averaging 14.0 coming in) they now have a one-two scoring punch going into conference action. Ross came in averaging a league-best 21.3 and has scored in double figures 25 straight.We have the ability to be the best team in the America East, Gallagher said. Thats our goal.Boston College: For the second straight game, the Eagles fell into a deep hole early in the second half. With Robinson unable to carry them, the offense really sputtered most of the night.Obviously our best player was tired today and didnt show up, Christian said. We had a lot of guys who could have stepped up today and didnt.QUOTE OF THE NIGHTTheres a million things you can say, Christian said. Im disappointed. I take responsibility for it. Its my team. I still think we have a chance to be a good team. Were not very good right now.POWERLESS INDEXBoth teams were rated in the 300s in the latest RPI (rating percentage index) entering the game.BC was 311 and Hartford 337.The Eagles shot 22.2 percent in the opening half, with the Hawks hitting only 26.9.WHERES THE CROWDThe teams played in front of a sparse gathering -- one of the smallest remembered in the history of Conte Forum since it opened in 1988 (minus games played during winter-weather conditions). The attendance was listed as 2,274.UP NEXTHartford: Host Dartmouth in the first of two straight at home on Tuesday.Boston College: Face Auburn at Madison Square Garden in New York City in the Under Armour Reunion on MondayNike Air Max Australia Sale . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Nike Air Max Cheap Wholesale . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. http://www.outletairmaxaustralia.com/air-max-tailwind-buy-australia.html . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. Air Max 270 Australia Sale . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Air Max 270 Australia Womens . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night.North Carolina Central is looking to take another step in what has been a banner season, but tradition-rich Grambling State is standing in the way.The teams meet Saturday in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.This is the first postseason appearance in the Division I era for N.C. Central, which was the outright champion in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference after sharing the title the previous two seasons.We have a chance to make some history, N.C. Central coach Jerry Mack said. We have a chance to go out there and play one more game and everybody knows this will be the last game of 2016.The Eagles (9-2), who are from Durham, N.C., have won nine consecutive games since opening the season with a loss to cross-city opponent Duke and then falling the following week at Western Michigan, which remains undefeated.The credentials are impressive for Grambling (11-1) as well after winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Only a 10-point loss at Arizona prevented an unblemished record for the Tigers.These Football Championship Subdivision teams give up the chance to participate in the FCS playoffs to play in the Celebration Bowl.Were pleased with being able to represent the SWAC for the Celebration Bowl, said Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs, who has directed his first SWAC title team. We have the ability to win in different ways, scoring in different ways and stopping people different ways. Thats the definition of a champion.N.C. Central didnt have to share the MEAC title because it defeated arch-rival North Carolina A&T to end the regular season Nov. 19.Its what we work for, what we strive for every year, Mack said. We finally got outright champs. Words cannot express how proud everybody is.Mack said that playing in the Celebration Bowl gives the university a chance to enhance its brand on a bigger stage. He said the Eagles werre motivated by seeing N.ddddddddddddC. A&T generally receive more attention.We felt like we had been disrespected a lot during the course of the year, he said. (Now we have another) chance to showcase our talents. ... We still have work for our final destiny and thats to be No. 1 (among historically black colleges and universities).Grambling is a 25-time champion of the SWAC, defeating two-time defending champion Alcorn State in this years conference championship game Dec. 3 in Houston.With Saturdays Celebration Bowl in the Georgia Dome, it will mark the third game in a row in an NFL venue for the Tigers. They played in the Superdome in New Orleans in beating Southern in the annual Bayou Classic and then played the SWAC title game at NRG Stadium in Houston.In the SWAC title game, the Tigers overcame a sluggish start.Weve won many different ways, Fobbs said. Weve been very dominant early. Weve been in close battles and to win at the end. Then there have been times when weve been down and had to come back.Mack said the SWAC tends to be more pass-oriented that the MEAC, and he is aware that Grambling has the personnel to back that up. Grambling quarterback Devante Kincade has thrown for more than 2,800 yards.The Tigers also have big-play capability from running back and return specialist Martez Carter, who was the Most Valuable Player in the SWAC championship game with 348 all-purpose yards.With nearly a month between games for the Eagles, there has been ample opportunity to consider tweaks that might be beneficial.Just fine tune our systems that are already in place, Mack said. Any wrinkles that we want to put in. Weve had plenty of time to look at the game plan and see what needs to be fixed. ' ' '
