Dez Wells scored 33 points, including 18 in the final seven minutes, as Maryland pulled away from Boston College for an 88-80 victory Thursday night at Conte Forum in the ACC opener for both teams.
Olivier Hanlan had 26 points and eight assists to lead BC (3-7). Garland Owens had 16 points and Ryan Anderson contributed 14 points and eight rebounds.
Anderson recorded the 1,000th point of his BC career when he hit a long jumper with 4:30 remaining, tying the score at 70. But BC had no answer for Wells, who scored 14 of Maryland’s 18 points down the stretch.
BC was within two points at 76-74 when Wells hit a short banker and was fouled (he missed the free throw). That started a 9-2 run that put the Terps in command.
Two locally bred players helped the Maryland cause, as Wrentham’s Jake Layman, a sophomore, scored 13 points and Reading’s Evan Smotrycz, a junior who transferred from Michigan, netted nine.
BC next hosts Philadelphia University on Sunday at noon.