NEWTON, Mass. (Interstat) — In a game defined by grinding defense and missed opportunities, Fred Payne’s clutch playmaking in the final seconds lifted Boston College to a 65-62 victory over Pittsburgh in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Silvio O. Conte Forum.

With the score tied at 62 and the clock winding under 30 seconds, the Eagles worked the ball to Payne on the right wing. The guard from Grambling, Louisiana, drove into the lane, drew the defense, and kicked out to a wide-open Boden Kapke at the top of the key. The 6-foot-11 center from Victoria, Minnesota, calmly sank the go-ahead 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining, his only make from beyond the arc on the night.

Pittsburgh had two chances to tie or take the lead in the final moments. Following a timeout, Brandin Cummings’ contested 3-point attempt from the left corner missed off the rim. The Panthers retained possession on a defensive deadball rebound and called another timeout with 8 seconds left. Out of the stoppage, Cummings again got a look from deep, this time a stepback from the wing, but it was off the mark as time expired, sealing the Eagles’ narrow win.

The dramatic finish capped a second half where neither team led by more than six points. Pittsburgh, which trailed 28-22 at halftime, opened the second period on a 10-0 run to take a 32-28 lead, fueled by aggressive defense that forced three quick Boston College turnovers. The Panthers’ largest lead of the night came shortly after at 36-30, but they could not sustain the momentum.

The game was a statistical oddity, with both teams shooting an identical 7 for 22 from 3-point range. The difference came from the field overall, where Boston College connected on 45.5% of its shots (25 of 55) compared to Pittsburgh’s 38.1% (24 of 63). A critical disparity came at the free-throw line, where the Panthers left nine points on the table, making just 7 of 17 attempts. Boston College was only slightly better at 8 of 13, but every point proved vital in the three-point margin.

Payne led all scorers with 18 points and added three assists, including the game-winning helper. Kapke was a force inside and out, finishing with a team-high 19 points. Chase Forte provided key all-around play for the Eagles with six points, six assists and a critical late 3-pointer that tied the game at 62 with 1:58 remaining.

Pittsburgh’s effort was led by a balanced attack. Cameron Corhen and Roman Siulepa each scored 13 points, with Corhen adding nine rebounds and Siulepa contributing three steals and two blocks. Barry Dunning and Brandin Cummings added 10 and 11 points, respectively. The Panthers dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 13 rebounds to Boston College’s four, leading to a 19-8 advantage in second-chance points. However, they offset that with a season-low six assists, struggling to generate consistent offensive flow against the Eagles’ defense.

The first half was a slog, featuring more turnovers (15 combined) than assists (5 combined). Boston College built its halftime lead behind Kapke’s 13 early points, while Pittsburgh shot just 30% from the field and missed five of its seven free throws in the period.

With the win, Boston College improves to 9-10 overall and evens its ACC record at 3-3. The Eagles snapped a two-game home losing streak in conference play. Pittsburgh falls to 8-11 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, seeing a two-game conference win streak end. The announced attendance was 3,233.

The result defied the pregame metrics, which favored Pittsburgh slightly. According to Interstat’s ELO system, the Panthers had a 53.2% probability to win and were installed as 1.5-point favorites on the betting line. The total score of 127 fell well under the over/under line of 134.5, underscoring the defensive struggle.

Boston College travels to face Notre Dame on Saturday. Pittsburgh returns home to host North Carolina State, also on Saturday.