PISCATAWAY. N.J. -- Adriana Spears scored a career-high 17 points and ignited a 13-3 second-half spurt that led Boston College (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 18 AP) to a 64-59 victory over Rutgers in the Big East Conference women's tournament Sunday.

The Eagles (22-6) advanced to the conference semifinals, where they will play Syracuse (18-11). The Orangemen pulled off the biggest upset in the conference tournament since 1996 when they knocked off Notre Dame (No. 25, No. 21) 84-79 earlier.

Amber Jacobs scored 25 points as the third-seeded Eagles ended Rutgers' hopes of earning a fifth straight trip to the NCAA tournament.

Dawn McCullouch had 19 points, and Mauri Horton added 15 for the 11th-seeded Scarlet Knights (9-20).

Spears, a junior forward who had not scored in double figures in 17 games, came up with several key baskets in the second half as the Eagles withstood several challenges by Rutgers.

After the Scarlet Knights cut a 26-19 halftime lead to 34-33, Spears hit a foul-line jumper to start the 13-3 run that gave Boston College a 47-36 lead with 7:42 to go.

Rutgers never gave up. The game got within 52-48 when Nikki Jett hit a free throw with 2:43 to play.

After the teams exchanged baskets, Spears scored on a fast break for a 56-50 lead with 2:04 left.

The Eagles nailed down the victory with eight free throws in the final minute, including two by Jessalyn Deveny with 8.4 seconds to go. They came after Horton hit her second straight 3-pointer to close it to 62-59 with 12.8 seconds to play.

Spears' previous career high was 12 points earlier this season.