LSU Outlasts Boston College in Overtime to Stay Unbeaten

NEWTON, Mass. (Interstat) — In a gritty, defensive struggle that required extra time to decide, the LSU Tigers remained perfect on the young season, escaping Silvio O. Conte Forum with a 78-69 overtime victory over Boston College on Wednesday night.

The Tigers, now 8-0, saw an 11-point halftime lead evaporate in the second half but dominated the extra period, outscoring the Eagles 17-8 to secure the win. Boston College fell to 4-5 with the hard-fought loss.

LSU appeared poised to cruise after a commanding first-half performance. The Tigers built a 37-26 lead at the break, fueled by their interior presence. They scored 20 of their first-half points in the paint and capitalized on early Boston College miscues. The Eagles struggled from the field, shooting just 36% in the opening period while committing nine turnovers.

The script flipped dramatically after halftime. Boston College, led by guard Luka Toews and forward Caleb Steger, found its rhythm. The Eagles chipped away, using a 14-5 run to draw close. Their defense tightened, and their three-point shooting improved, hitting five triples in the second half. With 28 seconds remaining in regulation and LSU clinging to a 61-59 lead, Toews drove and scored a tough layup to tie the game. LSU guard Dedan Thomas missed a contested floater on the final possession of regulation, sending the game to overtime tied at 61.

The overtime period belonged entirely to LSU. The Tigers scored the first nine points, a run sparked by Thomas and sealed by their defense. Boston College went scoreless for the first three and a half minutes of overtime, missing its first five shots and turning the ball over twice. The Eagles could not recover from the drought, managing just eight points in the extra session as LSU closed the game on a 17-8 sprint.

Thomas, the sophomore guard from Las Vegas, led all scorers with 23 points and added seven assists in 39 minutes of action. His backcourt leadership was crucial, especially in orchestrating the offense during the overtime surge. Forward Marquel Sutton provided significant support, scoring 18 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double.

For Boston College, Toews, a native of Tokyo, Japan, led the way with 14 points. Steger came off the bench to provide a spark with 11 points, all in the second half and overtime. Center Jayden Hastings anchored the defense with four blocked shots.

While the game was ultimately decided in overtime, the statistical sheet highlighted the areas where LSU built its foundation for the win. The Tigers dominated points in the paint, outscoring Boston College 42-22. They also converted 14 Boston College turnovers into 19 points, while committing only 10 turnovers themselves. Despite an abysmal shooting night from beyond the arc, making just 3 of 19 attempts, LSU compensated by hitting 17 of 20 free throws and grabbing 14 offensive rebounds.

Boston College shot better from three-point range, finishing 9 of 24, but was hampered by its own struggles at the foul line, making only 14 of 21 attempts. The Eagles also recorded only three assists as a team, indicative of the offensive stagnation that plagued them at critical moments.

The game was a clash of tempos and styles. LSU’s physicality and ability to attack the rim eventually wore down a Boston College team that fought back valiantly on its home floor. The announced crowd of 4,060 saw the Eagles erase a double-digit deficit but ultimately fall short against an undefeated opponent for the second time in overtime this season.

LSU will look to continue its unbeaten start when it travels to face Texas Tech in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday. Boston College aims to get back to .500 when it hosts New Haven on Saturday.