Jacobs' surge lifts Eagles to win Big East opener

January 2, 2004

BOSTON (AP) -- Amber Jacobs scored 10 of her 22 points in the

closing 3:42 Friday night, lifting Boston College (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP) to a 61-48

win over Villanova in the schools' Big East opener.

The Eagles (11-1, 1-0) have equaled their best-ever start.

Jessalyn Deveny added nine points for BC.

Courtney Mix and Jenna Viani each scored 13 points for the

Wildcats (10-2, 0-1), who had their 10-game winning streak snapped.

It was their longest since the 1995-96 season.

BC, which squandered a nine-point lead midway through the second

half, took the lead for good 47-46 on Maureen Leahy's free throw

with 4:49 to play. Jacobs then followed the free throw with a

desperation 3-pointer as the shot clock was winding down, pushing

BC ahead by four.

After a Villanova miss, Jacobs and Aja Parham each hit two free

throws, making it 54-46 with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Jacobs capped her night by hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The Eagles had opened a 42-33 lead with just under 11 minutes

left, but the Wildcats answered with a 9-0 run.

Neither team held more than a five-point lead until Jacobs' free

throw with 16 seconds left in the half gave BC a 30-24 edge at

halftime.