Dec. 22, 1999

Box Score

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico (AP) - Jonathan Beerbohm gave Boston College the lead with a 3-pointer off an inbounds pass with 18 seconds left, then added a dunk at the buzzer as the Eagles beat Illinois-Chicago 67-62 Wednesday in the consolation round of the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

The Eagles (7-3), who will play Massachusetts, which beat American University of Puerto Rico 102-65 for fifth place Thursday, surpassed the victory total from last season when they were 6-21. It will be the second meeting this season between the schools from the same state. Massachusetts beat the Eagles 74-67 on Dec. 4.

Theandre Kimbrough, who had a career-high 26 points, gave the Flames (3-8) a 61-60 lead with a turnaround jumper with 1:04 to play. Beerbohm, who finished with 13 points, and Kimbrough each committed a turnover in the next 25 seconds.

Boston College's Troy Bell missed a jumper with 24 seconds left but the ball went out of bounds to the Eagles. Bell then turned it over two seconds later but he stole the ball back with 20 seconds to play.

The Eagles called a timeout and Beerbohm, who was 5-of-18 from 3-point range this season, drained the winning shot from the head of the key.

Maurice Brown made one of two free throws for the Flames with six seconds left and Uka Agbai made two for the Eagles with three seconds left. Illinois-Chicago turned the ball over trying to set up a possible tying shot and Beerbohm closed it with an emphatic dunk at the buzzer as the Flames lost their fifth straight game.

Bell, the Eagles' leading scorer at 19.6 points per game, rebounded from his season-low eight in the opening-round loss to Tulsa with 17 and Kenny Walls added 14.

Kimbrough, a fifth-year senior, had his previous high of 22 against Northern Illinois as a freshman.