NEWTON, Mass. (Interstat) — In a stunning upset, the Central Connecticut Blue Devils edged the Boston College Eagles 60-59 in a non-conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Silvio O. Conte Forum.

The Blue Devils, who led for only 2 minutes and 28 seconds, snatched the victory on a driving layup by Darin Smith with three seconds remaining on the clock. The Eagles’ final attempt, a missed 3-pointer by Donald Hand as time expired, sealed the win for the visitors.

The game was a defensive struggle defined by poor shooting, particularly from beyond the arc. Boston College endured a frigid night, connecting on just 7 of 34 attempts from 3-point range, a primary factor in the upset. Central Connecticut was only marginally better, shooting 8 for 22 from deep, but it proved to be enough.

Central Connecticut improved its record to 2-1 with the victory, while Boston College fell to 1-2.

Melo Sanchez led the Blue Devils with 17 points, including five 3-pointers, in just 23 minutes off the bench. Smith, a Springfield, Massachusetts native, added 14 points, capped by the game-winning basket. Jay Rodgers facilitated the offense with a game-high six assists.

Boston College was paced by Fred Payne, who scored a game-high 17 points. Jayden Hastings contributed eight points and Chase Forte added nine points, three assists and three blocks in the losing effort.

The Eagles started strong, building an early 8-2 lead, but could never fully pull away from the persistent Blue Devils. Central Connecticut closed the first half on a 7-3 run to narrow Boston College’s lead to 30-26 at the break.

The second half was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. Boston College seemed to seize control when a Payne layup and subsequent free throw gave the Eagles a 59-56 advantage with just over two minutes to play.

After a series of empty possessions from both teams, Central Connecticut secured the ball for the final sequence, setting up Smith’s decisive drive to the basket for the win.

The contest was played in front of an announced crowd of 3,774. Central Connecticut next travels to face Massachusetts on Sunday, while Boston College visits Temple on Saturday.