Byline: Adam Rittenberg Daily Herald Sports Writer
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -Boston College had authored the manual on how to wait, a text that had swelled to 20 volumes entering Tuesday night's game with Notre Dame.
It didn't matter if opponents started strong, hit some shots or exploited a theoretical weakness. The No. 4 Eagles always found time to rally, settle into their grinder-like offense and win.
Unlike No. 1 Illinois, which built a spotless record draped in dominance, the Eagles' precarious pattern seemed unsustainable for an entire season.
Time ran out Tuesday, as Boston College turned in its membership to college basketball's most exclusive club and lost 68-65 to Notre Dame at the Joyce Center.
Boston College (20-1, 9-1) dropped its first regular-season game since Valentine's Day 2004.
'We have to prove ourselves every day,' Eagles junior Craig Smith said. 'There's nothing new about that. We still feel confident we can win the Big East.
'Losses happen.'
Notre Dame's 2-3 zone took away the post and forced Boston College into unfamiliar territory - the perimeter. The Irish (14-6, 6-4) held Smith, a punishing forward who leads Boston College in scoring, without a point in the second half.
At the other end of the floor, Notre Dame looked anything but distressed, shooting 51 percent from the field and 55 percent from 3-point range. Irish guards Colin Falls and Chris Thomas combined for 42 points and 10 of the team's 11 3-pointers.
'We keep making strides,' Thomas said. 'When people doubt us, that's when we come through the back door.'
Boston College opened the game on a 15-6 run, but Notre Dame began squeezing the lane with forwards Torin Francis, Jordan Cornette and Dennis Latimore. The Eagles ended up taking 22 attempts from beyond the arc, 7 more than in any other game this season.
'It's definitely not natural for us to shoot the ball outside,' said forward Jared Dudley, who led the Eagles with 16 points. 'They tried to take Craig away, which they did a pretty good job of. They were hitting shots; the crowd was getting into it.
'They were more poised than we were.'
Latimore said the Irish used more zone defense Tuesday than in all but one game - a Dec. 8 victory at Indiana.
'It frustrated me a little bit,' said Smith (9 points), who failed to score in double figures for the first time this season. 'It was like a double team coming every time. I got the ball and somebody was already right behind me.'
Down 62-54 with 4:08 left, Boston College started what could have been its 13th second-half comeback of the season. Dudley banked in a shot and drew a foul, cutting Notre Dame's lead to 3.
But on the ensuing possession, Dudley fouled Thomas with five seconds left on the shot clock. Thomas hit both free throws and added 2 more moments later.
Jermaine Watson drained a 3-pointer to beat the final buzzer, but by that point Notre Dame students were on the floor celebrating.
'We stayed poised when they jumped out on us,' coach Mike Brey said. 'We stayed poised when they made runs. And obviously we did a great job in our zone.'
Boston College couldn't adjust to Notre Dame's strength - the three guards - and repeatedly left Falls open. He swished two 3- pointers in 31 seconds to put the Irish ahead 49-38 with 14 minutes remaining.
'I got more looks than I thought I would get,' said Falls, who nailed a career-high seven 3s and tied his season best with 23 points. 'Chris Quinn and Chris Thomas kept delivering the ball into good spots.'
