NEWTON, Mass. (Interstat) — In a grinding Atlantic Coast Conference clash defined by defense and missed opportunities, the Virginia Cavaliers overcame a sluggish start and a hostile road environment to defeat the Boston College Eagles 73-66 on Saturday at Silvio O. Conte Forum.

The game, played before a crowd of 6,248, was a tale of two halves and ultimately a testament to Virginia’s resilience. Boston College, energized at home, controlled the opening period behind the duo of Donald Hand and Fred Payne. Hand, a guard from Virginia Beach, and Payne, from Grambling, Louisiana, combined for 25 first-half points, propelling the Eagles to a 32-27 lead at the break. Virginia’s offense sputtered, shooting just 4 of 23 from three-point range for the game and managing only seven assists against seven turnovers in the first half.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the second half’s opening minutes, as Virginia methodically erased the deficit and imposed its will. The Cavaliers opened the second period with a decisive 12-3 run, flipping a five-point hole into a 39-35 lead within the first four minutes. The surge was fueled by interior scoring and tightened defense. Thijs De Ridder, the 6-foot-9 forward from Antwerp, Belgium, scored six points during the run, part of his team-high 17-point effort. Virginia’s defense, which entered the game among the nation’s best, clamped down, forcing Boston College into tougher shots and capitalizing on mistakes.

Virginia never relinquished the lead after gaining it, though Boston College stayed within striking distance. The Eagles cut the lead to 54-52 on a Jayden Hastings layup with 9:32 remaining, but Virginia answered with a critical 7-0 spurt. De Ridder hit two free throws, then after a Chase Forte turnover, found Jacari White for a three-pointer. Another Boston College miss led to two more De Ridder free throws, pushing the lead to 61-52 and forcing an Eagles timeout.

Boston College’s chances were hampered by inefficiency at the free-throw line, where they shot 15 of 26, and by Virginia’s dominance in the paint. The Cavaliers outscored Boston College 44-34 inside and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds leading to 13 second-chance points. While Hand finished with 20 points and six rebounds for Boston College, and Payne added 17 points and seven boards, the Eagles’ offense often stalled against Virginia’s pack-line defense, managing only four assists for the entire game.

Virginia’s victory was a collective effort. Alongside De Ridder’s 17 points and five rebounds, Malik Thomas contributed 14 points and Ugonna Onyenso provided a strong interior presence with seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Chance Mallory added 11 points and six rebounds off the bench. For Boston College, Hastings was a factor with 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks, and Boden Kapke added 14 points.

The win improved Virginia’s record to 18-3 overall and 8-2 in the ACC, keeping them in the thick of the conference title race. Boston College fell to 9-12 and 3-7 in league play. The Cavaliers, who were 13.5-point pregame favorites, narrowly covered the spread in a game where the total points, 139, stayed under the projected line of 136.

Virginia’s ability to reset at halftime, generate efficient offense inside the arc, and strangle Boston College’s ball movement proved the difference. The Eagles, who hung tough throughout, were ultimately undone by their inability to convert from the charity stripe and sustain their first-half offensive flow against one of the nation’s most disciplined defenses.

Virginia next hosts Pittsburgh on Tuesday, while Boston College travels to face Duke, also on Tuesday.