BOSTON (AP) — During recruiting, Boston College coach Earl Grant watched tape of Devin McGlockton playing football in high school, where he was a first team all-state selection in Georgia.
“Devin’s supposed to be playing Power 5 tight end right now. He just decided he loved basketball,” Grant said on Wednesday night, after McGlockton had 18 points and seven rebounds to help BC beat No. 21 Virginia Tech 70-65 in overtime.
“He’s physical. He’s long, and he’s got great hands,” Grant said of McGlockton, whose uncle Chester played 12 years in the NFL. “He really delivered.”
McGlockton grabbed three of his rebounds in overtime, including an offensive board that set up Makai Ashton-Langford’s 3-pointer to take a five-point lead with 36 seconds left. The Hokies never got closer than three points after that.
“Coach always tells us to believe,” said Ashton-Langford, who had 21 points and seven rebounds. “We believe we can play up there with the best of them right now. And that’s all it takes. If you believe, then you can succeed. So that’s definitely a statement win for us.”
It was the Eagles’ first win over a ranked team since 2020 — making it the first for Grant, who’s in his second year. BC (7-6, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won back-to-back games to snap a four-game losing streak.
Sean Pedulla and Justyn Mutts had 18 points apiece for Virginia Tech (11-2, 1-1), which had won six in a row.
The Hokies led by as many as eight points in the first half but trailed by nine, 57-48, with four minutes to go before scoring the next 11 points to take a 59-57 lead on Grant Basile’s 3-pointer with under a minute remaining. Boston College went almost four minutes without a basket, missing five straight shots before Ashton-Langford drove and delivered a scoop shot to tie it with 32 seconds left.
Pedulla had a 3-point attempt in the final seconds bounce off the rim twice before it came down; Darius Maddox grabbed the offensive rebound, but his short jumper at the buzzer went off the side of the rim.
The Eagles came out of a timeout with 76 seconds left in overtime leading by two, with the ball. They were able to run 40 seconds off the clock, thanks to an offensive rebound, before Ashton-Langford hit a long 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down to make it 66-61.
Pedulla drove for a layup to make it a three-point game, but DeMarr Langford hit a pair of free throws to keep it a two-possession game with 28 seconds left. Maddox had an open look at a 3 but missed; the Hokies got the rebound but threw it away.
That gave BC the ball out of bounds in front of the Virginia Tech bench with 11 seconds left. When the Hokies fouled on the inbounds pass, the Eagles began to celebrate.
REACHING OUT
Virginia Tech’s two losses this season are the College of Charleston, Grant’s previous stop, and Boston College. Asked if any tips were shared between the coach and his friends back in Charleston, Grant said, “There were maybe a few hints.”
BIG PICTURE
The Hokies entered the AP poll at No. 24 last week and moved up to No. 21 after beating Grambling State by 26 points. It’s nothing but ACC matchups from here, though, and they’ll need to play better in the conference to remain in the rankings.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech: At Wake Forest Dec. 31.
Boston College: Visits Syracuse Dec. 30.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
