Boston College

Boston College crashed the backboards and dived for loose balls. The Eagles played defense as if they had been threatened with elimination from NCAA tournament consideration if they allowed a single point to be scored. That's the same kind of desperation Villanova needed in yesterday's Big East Conference tournament quarterfinal. The Wildcats knew they had to win to prevent Selection Sunday from becoming another stomach-churning, ulcer-inducing day of potential disappointment. However, the Wildcats found themselves outplayed and outhustled, and almost certainly out of NCAA tournament consideration.

Carolyn Swords had 14 points and nine rebounds, going 8 for 8 from the line in the final five minutes to lead Boston College to a 61-57 victory over No. 6 Duke last night in Boston. It was the first win for BC (13-10, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) over a ranked team since beating then-No. 2 Ohio State in the second round of the 2006 NCAA tournament. Jasmine Thomas scored 19 points for Duke (18-4, 6-1), which had been the last unbeaten team in the ACC. Delaware 84, William and Mary 55 - Tesia Harris connected for a season-high 26 points and Elena Delle Donne had 23 points and nine rebounds as the Blue Hens (14-7, 6-4 Colonial Athletic Association)

William Green's next big run could be to the NFL. Green's 7-yard scoring run capped Boston College's comeback, and perhaps his college career, as the Eagles beat 16th-ranked Georgia, 20-16, in the Music City Bowl last night in Nashville, Tenn. Green's touchdown with 4:43 left ended BC's 21-game losing streak against ranked teams and followed the last of Georgia's four turnovers, which led to all of BC's points. Green, the game's MVP, ran for 149 yards on 35 carries after entering the game with an average of 155.9, second best in the nation.

When Boston College swooped into Beaver Stadium and smacked Penn State, 35-32, last Saturday, the Eagles served notice that Eastern football is alive and kicking. The fledgling Big East Conference has three teams, Miami (tied for No. 1), Boston College (No. 11) and Syracuse (No. 12) in the upper half of the Associated Press rankings. The Big Ten, Penn State's future conference, has only one team in the top 25 - third-ranked Michigan. Against nonconference competition the Big East is 18-9-2.

Tyrese Rice and Boston College put an end to the talk of whether No. 1 North Carolina could go unbeaten. Rice scored 25 points in his second straight big game against the Tar Heels to help the Eagles stun North Carolina, 85-78, yesterday, likely ending the Tar Heels' run atop the polls. Rakim Sanders added 22 points for the Eagles (13-2) who led by six points at halftime and pushed the lead to as many as 14 before holding off a frantic rally from the Tar Heels (13-1) in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.

The celebration already had started on the Boston College bench when Troy Bell gleefully left the court for the last time, with 27.8 seconds remaining. He picked up his hat and T-shirt commemorating the end of the Eagles' long road from Big East doormat to Big East champion. The 10th-ranked Eagles completed their domination of what was supposed to have been a wide-open Big East tournament last night, routing Pittsburgh, 79-57, before a crowd of 19,528 at Madison Square Garden to capture the conference's automatic NCAA tournament bid, and perhaps even a No. 2 seed when postseason pairings are announced today.

They are the same players who appeared lost at Minnesota and Bradley, the same group that was overwhelmed at Duke and embarrassed by New Orleans. But they are no longer playing the same game. This Villanova team is making the game coaches imagine come to life on the court. These Wildcats are seeing the game. They keep the ball moving until a shot becomes a good shot. And, after beating Boston College, 83-76, at Conte Forum last night, Villanova enters the new year with a perfect record in the Big East and a four-game winning streak.

Yes, there is pride at stake and there is the character issue and there is the matter of satisfying a homecoming crowd that wants to have its fond memories of those good old college days spiked with a victory. But will all that be enough to get Penn State's Nittany Lions (5-1) to lift their chins from the ground in time to deal with dangerous, well-rested, 20th- ranked Boston College (4-0-1) today at noon at Beaver Stadium? Joe Paterno, coach of the ninth-ranked Nittany Lions, probably had to summon all his motivational skills this week to make sure it is. "I told the players there's no sense feeling sorry for themselves or second-guessing or pointing fingers at one another, and that this is a chance to show people what kind of team we have," Paterno said.

FOR THE SECOND time in 2 years, Temple will have to hire a football coach. In December 2010 Al Golden left North Broad Street after five culture-altering seasons to go to Miami. On Tuesday his replacement, former Florida assistant Steve Addazio, left after two seasons to take the job at Boston College. He replaces Frank Spaziani, who was fired after four seasons and 16 overall with the Eagles. He went 22-29, 2-10 this season, 1-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "[Addazio's]