NCAA Round of 64: Live Blog

Welcome to the Towers on the Heights live blog of the NCAA Round of 64 game between your Boston College Eagles and the Southern California Trojans.

BC 5, USC 5 - Rice makes his first 3.

USC 10, BC 7 - At the first TV timeout BC has been playing well but they gotta play better defense.

USC 12, BC 9 - Rice has started out awesome, 3-3 FG, 7 points but is getting no help.

USC 16, BC 13 - 2nd TV timeout. BC is rebounding well, but Southern has to do a better job on Taj Gibson. Rakim Sanders has picked up his second foul and is on the bench. Reggie Jackson has come in for him.

Aside: I got my second TV set up for the upcoming hockey game!

BC 18, USC 16 - After a slow start everyone is playing much better.

Aside2: UMass-Lowell ties is up. Game is going to OT, so our game won't start until later.

BC 23, USC 18 - BC is getting physical on the defensive end, Dunn is playing awesome. Raji is hitting shots which is great and Roche just drills a three!

BC 23, USC 18 - Third TV timeout. Nothing has change but Rice just got a nice jump ball on Hackett, USC had the arrow though. 7:22 to play in the 1st half.

USC 25, BC 23 - BC has gone cold from the field missing their last 4. Sanders, Southern and Trapani back in.

USC 27, BC 25 - Fourth and final TV timeout of the half. USC went on a 9-0 run but Raji makes two free throws to end that. BC is struggling on defense as USC is moving the ball well. 3:51 to play in the half.

USC 29, BC 27 - Raji is playing really, really well.

Aside3: UMass-Lowell beats Northeastern!

BC 32, USC 30 - Southern is playing much better in the lane. Challenging everything. Trapani makes 2 free throws.

BC 34, USC 30 - Halftime. BC finished the half awesome. Finishing on a 7-2 run.

Halftime Analysis: BC played pretty well overall in the half. They started off really hot hitting about 60% of their shots then cooled off a little and USC grabbed a seven point lead, behind the dominance of Taj Gibson. Southern played Gibson much better then Dunn therefore he is going to need to stay out of foul trouble and on the court to keep BC in it. Sanders got into foul trouble early as well, he picked up 2 quick ones and sat for the rest of the half but Corey Raji really stepped up and played his best half of the year. He was able to score inside and outside and play some nice defense. Rice has played a much better first half then his previous 5 or 6 games, he started off 3-3 with 7 points but then struggled after getting his normal rest with 3 TOs. But overall there is not much to complain about.

Keys to the 2nd half:
1. Stay out of Foul trouble: Sanders and Rice both have 2 fouls, so they need to stay out of foul trouble because BC needs them on the floor to win.
2. Defense on Gibson: Gibson was almost unstoppable in the first half and Southern and Dunn need to do a better job on him in the second half. He does have two fouls so our best bet may be getting him off the court with foul trouble.
3. Rebounding: If we can stay on the boards and keep USC from getting 2 chances BC has a great chance to win.

Second half to come to go along with the Hockey game!

BC 37, USC 30 - Rakim starts the half of well with a 3 pointer.

BC 37, USC 35 - USC responds with 5 quick points.

BC 39, USC 37 - Taj Gibson is a monster but he has 3 fouls. BC needs to attack him.

BC 42, USC 41 - Trapani hits a three but Southern doesn't play very smart and picks up 2 more fouls in like 14 seconds to get his 4th.

BC 44, USC 42 - BC is playing dumb out there. Taking terrible foul after terrible foul. Rice has 3, Sanders has 3, Southern has four.

USC 48, BC 44 - This team is playing awful. Taking stupid shots, taking stupid fouls, not playing defense. If they keep this up they are going to lose.

USC 52, BC 47 - BC can't do anything right, right now.

USC 56, BC 47 - Terrible, this team just stopped playing. Al Skinner is flat out getting out coached by Tim Floyd

USC 56, BC 47 - Southern does what needed to be done. Posts up Gibson and gets him to 4 fouls. BC needs to take advantage.

USC 62, BC 50 -USC can't miss, it is unreal.

USC 64, BC 51 - BC can't hit. USC can't miss. Al Skinner has been embarassed this game by Tim Floyd

USC 65, BC 53 - Its sad that Rice has disappeared with his career on the line. He had a great two years but has degressed in the past 2 years.

USC 72, BC 55 - Game. Sad performance in the second half but the team looks to be a very good team in the future. Al Skinner needs to find a better game plan whenever we play USC.

Join me in the Hockey Blog as we hope one team can stay alive in the Postseason.