SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Olivier Hanlan and Patrick Heckmann hit 3-pointers in overtime, Lonnie Jackson made four straight free throws in the final 26.2 seconds, and lowly Boston College stunned top-ranked Syracuse 62-59 on Wednesday night, ending the Orange’s unbeaten season.
Syracuse, which won its last two games by a combined three points, shot a season-low 32.2 percent from the field including going 2 of 12 from 3-point range, its sputtering offense unable to pull off another miracle finish while wearing throwback uniforms.
“When you get in enough of these games, there’s going to be one you’re not going to make a play. That’s what happens,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. “We’ve got to think about what we have to do going forward. We’ve really got to get better, and I think we will. It’s been an unbelievable run, I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s remarkable what they’ve done.”
Syracuse (25-1, 12-1) travels to No. 5 Duke on Saturday night for a rematch of their overtime classic on Feb. 1.
Boston College (7-19, 3-10 ACC), which had lost five straight, rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to pull off the improbable upset.
The Eagles came to town with heavy hearts and a good dose of determination. Longtime basketball media contact and sports information assistant Dick Kelley died last week after a two-year battle with ALS.
“It was an emotional game for us,” Eagles coach Steve Donahue said after his first Carrier Dome win in eight tries against the Orange. “It’s been incredible for these guys to persevere. We’ve played well in a lot of games.”
Kelly’s funeral was Tuesday and the Eagles, who often visited his apartment, wore “DK” patches on their uniforms.
“The patch on our chests, toward the end of the game it was like, ‘We can’t be denied. DK is looking down on us. He’s got us,’ ” said Ryan Anderson. “It’s real emotional. It’s really going to set in in a couple of hours.”
The Syracuse loss left No. 3 Wichita State (28-0), which beat Loyola of Chicago 88-74 on Wednesday, as the lone unbeaten Division I team.