Marshall, Smith help BC start second half strong

ByABC News
January 20, 2015, 10:51 PM

— -- SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) -- Sean Marshall scored a season-high 21 points and combined with Craig Smith for a strong second-half start that carried No. 13 Boston College to a 78-56 victory over Rhode Island on Saturday. Smith, who had 20 points, scored seven of the Eagles' first nine points in the half and Marshall scored their next 11, giving BC a 58-38 lead with 11:13 left. With the lead at 66-47, Smith scored BC's next six points, building it to 72-50 with 3:59 remaining. The game was the first between the teams since March 24, 1992, when current BC coach Al Skinner led Rhode Island to an 81-80 double-overtime victory in the second round of the NIT. BC (10-2) won its fourth straight game since losing two in a row to the only ranked teams it has played, Michigan State and Maryland. Rhode Island (6-5) lost for the fourth time in five games and was coming off a 67-41 loss at Houston, the fewest points scored by Jim Baron's teams in 18 years as a college coach. Dawan Robinson, the Rams' top scorer, didn't start because of a violation of team rules but led them with 19 points. He was their only player to score in double figures after none of them did that against Houston. The Eagles started very well in each half, leading 12-2 before Robinson entered the game with 3:52 gone. They held a 38-29 halftime lead then outscored the Rams 18-6 for a 56-35 advantage with 11:58 to play. Smith opened the second half with seven points in the first 5 minutes after scoring seven in the entire first half. His short jumper with 15:12 left gave the Eagles a 47-33 lead. Then Marshall took over and gave BC its 58-38 lead. He hit a layup and a free throw. Robinson then made two free throws for the Rams, but Marshall followed with two 3-pointers for a 56-35 lead. Jimmy Baron hit a 3-pointer for the Rams and Marshall came back with a foul line jumper for the 20-point lead. Marshall, whose previous season high was 19, added four assists and four steals. With 2:46 left in the game, Rhode Island's Darrell Harris was helped off the court after hitting his head on the floor under BC's basket but was not believed to be hurt seriously.