JUSTIN COOK The Roanoke Times

Virginia's Sammy Zeglinski (13) splits Boston College's Cortney Dunn (55) and Rakim Sanders for two of his 21 points.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- There was no mad rush for the record books after a Virginia-Boston College match-up Thursday in the ACC Tournament.

For the Cavaliers, that was a good thing.

The Cavaliers, who had never ended a season with more than five consecutive losses, lived to play another day when a nine-game UVa slide came to an end at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Junior guard Sammy Zeglinski scored 21 points to lead five Virginia scorers in double figures as the Cavaliers held off the Eagles 68-62.

UVa (15-15) meets top-seeded and fourth-ranked Duke (26-5) at noon today in the quarterfinals.

"Nobody wants to go into the summer with a 10-game losing streak," said Jeff Jones, who converted five of six free throws in the final 54 seconds Thursday. "It was great getting that weight off our shoulders."

The Cavaliers played without leading scorer Sylven Landesberg for the second game in a row and did not have a player who averaged double figures in scoring in their starting lineup.

Landesberg was suspended for the remainder of the season for missing class prior to Virginia's final regular-season game Saturday against Maryland. The Cavaliers announced Monday that fifth-year senior Calvin Baker would not play again for personal reasons.

Virginia seemingly benefitted from a tighter rotation. Coach Tony Bennett used only eight players Thursday and two of them -- Will Sherrill and Assane Sene -- played six and four minutes, respectively.

Twice in a recent three-game span, Jones failed to score from the field and was quickly hooked. It seems the increased minutes give him the opportunity to play through his mistakes.

"I've always thought that," Jones said. "If you look, whenever I've played 20-plus minutes or 25 minutes, I've been able to put up some good stats. But whatever is best for the team, that's what I want."

Jones is 7-for-11 on 3-pointers in the last two games, including 3-for-5 against the Eagles, but Zeglinski provided the spark Thursday with 16 first-half points.

Shortly after Boston College built a 23-17 lead, Zeglinski hit a 3-pointer to give UVa a 24-23 advantage. Corey Raji responded with a bucket, but the Cavaliers scored the next 10 points to complete a 17-2 run.

The teams played only eight days earlier, when the Eagles won 68-55 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

"We used that as motivation," Jones said. "The coaches told us that one of the announcers [ex-Providence coach Tim Welsh] said during the last game, 'Virginia left their toughness at the hotel.'

"We're better than that. We can bang down low. We can match up with Boston College. We came out here with a chip on our shoulders."

After Virginia built an 11-point lead early in the second half, the Eagles (15-16) trimmed the deficit to 49-46 on a Dallas Elmore layup with 8:44 left. However, 6-foot-8 junior Mike Scott hit a short jumper on UVa's next possession and then converted a stickback that pushed the Cavaliers' lead to 53-46.

Scott, the Cavaliers' leading rebounder and second-leading scorer for the season, did not start but finished with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

He took offense at Welsh's comment about UVa's lack of toughness, saying "it was definitely a slap in the face."

UVa hadn't won an ACC Tournament game since 2006, former coach Dave Leitao's first year.

Boston College junior Rakim Sanders had 22 points and the Eagles got 18 from sophomore Reggie Jackson, but second-team All-ACC selection Joe Trapani missed all seven of his shots from the floor and finished with a season-low two points in 22 minutes.

Boston College committed just seven turnovers, but Virginia had a season-low five turnovers, one on an offensive foul.

"Certainly it helps when some shots are going down," Bennett said, "but what I really like is, when things got a little shaky in the second half, our kids battled back and showed some resolve. They didn't falter.

"You have to do that when your tank isn't full."

VIRGINIA (15-15)

Farrakhan 3-9 4-5 10, Zeglinski 8-15 0-0 21, Sherrill 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 3-7 5-7 14, Meyinsse 4-7 4-5 12, Evans 0-3 0-0 0, Sene 0-0 0-0 0, Scott 5-11 1-3 11. Totals 23-53 14-20 68.

BOSTON COLLEGE (15-16)

Jackson 7-17 2-2 18, Raji 3-4 0-0 6, Trapani 0-7 2-2 2, Sanders 9-15 1-2 22, Southern 1-4 0-0 2, Paris 0-2 0-0 0, Roche 1-6 0-0 2, Ravenel 0-1 0-0 0, Elmore 4-4 2-2 10, Dunn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 7-8 62.

Halftime--Virginia 34-27. 3-Point Goals--Virginia 8-21 (Zeglinski 5-10, Jones 3-5, Sherrill 0-1, Scott 0-1, Farrakhan 0-4), Boston College 5-17 (Sanders 3-5, Jackson 2-6, Paris 0-1, Trapani 0-2, Roche 0-3). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Virginia 31 (Scott 13), Boston College 37 (Jackson 9). Assists--Virginia 13 (Evans, Farrakhan 4), Boston College 9 (Jackson, Sanders 3). Total Fouls--Virginia 11, Boston College 17. A--NA.

By Doug Doughty

doug.doughty@roanoke.com 981-3129

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- There was no mad rush for the record books after a Virginia-Boston College match-up Thursday in the ACC men's basketball tournament.

For the Cavaliers, that was a good thing.

The Cavaliers, who had never ended a season with more than five consecutive losses, lived to play another day when a nine-game UVa slide came to an end at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Junior guard Sammy Zeglinski scored 21 points to lead five Virginia scorers in double figures as the Cavaliers held off the Eagles 68-62.

UVa (16-15) will meet top-seeded and fourth-ranked Duke (26-5) at noon today in the quarterfinals.

"Nobody wants to go into the summer with a 10-game losing streak," said Jeff Jones, who converted five of six free throws in the final 54 seconds Thursday. "It was great getting that weight off our shoulders."

The Cavaliers (15-15) were playing without leading scorer Sylven Landesberg for the second game in a row and did not have a double-figure scorer in their starting lineup.

Landesberg was suspended prior to Virginia's final regular-season game Saturday, when Virginia lost to ACC co-leader Maryland 74-68 in a game that was decided in the final minute.

Landesberg's suspension for missing class was for the remainder of the season and the Cavaliers announced Monday that fifth-year senior Calvin Baker would not play again for personal reasons.

Virginia seemingly has benefitted from a tighter rotation. Coach Tony Bennett used only eight players Thursday and two of them -- Will Sherrill and Assane Sene -- played six and four minutes, respectively.

Twice in a recent three-game span, Jones failed to score from the field and was subject to quick hook. It seems that the increased minutes have given him the opportunity to play through his mistakes.

"I've always thought that," Jones said. "If you look, whenever I've played 20-plus minutes or 25 minutes, I've been able to put up some good stats. But whatever is best for the team, that's what I want."

Jones is 7-for-11 on 3-pointers in the last two games, including 3-for-5 against the Eagles, but the spark Thursday was provided by Zeglinski, who had 16 points in the first half.

After Boston College had built a 23-17 lead, Zeglinski hit a 3-pointer to give UVa a 24-23 lead. Corey Raji responded with a bucket and briefly restored BC's lead, but the Cavaliers scored the next 10 points to complete a 17-2 run.

The teams had played only eight days earlier, when the Eagles won 68-55 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

"We used that as motivation," Jones said. "The coaches told us that one of the announcers [ex-Providence coach Tim Welsh] said during the last game, 'Virginia left their toughness at the hotel.'

"We're better than that. We can bang down low. We can match up with Boston College. We came out here with a chip our shoulders."

After Virginia built an 11-point lead early in the second half, the Eagles (15-16) trimmed the deficit to 49-46 on a Dallas Elmore layup with 8:44 left. However, 6-foot-8 junior Mike Scott hit a short jumper on UVa's next possession and then converted a stickback that pushed the Cavaliers' lead to 53-46.

Scott, the Cavaliers' leading rebounder and second-leading scorer for the season, was held out of the starting lineup but finished with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Ironically, his only productive game of late had come at Boston College, where he had 13 points and nine rebounds.

He took offense at Welsh's comment about UVa's lack of toughness, saying "it was definitely a slap in the face."

Eighth-seeded Boston College came into the game Thursday as a five-point favorite over ninth-seeded UVa, which hadn't won an ACC Tournament game since 2006, former coach Dave Leitao's first year at the Cavalier helm.

Boston College junior Rakim Sanders had 22 points Thursday to lead all scorers and the Eagles got 18 from sophomore Reggie Jackson, but second-team All-ACC selection Joey Trapani missed all seven of his shots from the floor and finished with a season-low two points in 22 minutes.

Boston College limited itself to seven turnovers but was outdone by a Virginia team that had a season-low five turnovers, one of those on an offensive foul.

"Ceretainly it helps when some shots are going down," Bennett said, "but what I really like is, when things got a little shaky in the second half, our kids battled back and showed some resolve. They didn't falter.

"You have to do that when your tank isn't full."

"It was great getting that weight off our shoulders."

The Cavaliers (15-15) were playing without leading scorer Sylven Landesberg for the second game in a row and did not have a double-figure scorer in their starting lineup.

Landesberg was suspended prior to Virginia's final regular-season game Saturday, when Virginia lost to ACC co-leader Maryland 74-68 in a game that was decided in the final minute.

Landesberg's suspension for missing class was for the remainder of the season and the Cavaliers announced Monday that fifth-year senior Calvin Baker would not play again for personal reasons.

Virginia seemingly has benefitted from a tighter rotation. Coach Tony Bennett used only eight players Thursday and two of them -- Will Sherrill and Assane Sene -- played six and four minutes, respectively.

Twice in a recent three-game span, Jones failed to score from the field and was subject to quick hook. It seems that the increased minutes have given him the opportunity to play through his mistakes.

"I've always thought that," Jones said. "If you look, whenever I've played 20-plus minutes or 25 minutes, I've been able to put up some good stats. But whatever is best for the team, that's what I want."

Jones is 7-for-11 on 3-pointers in the last two games, including 3-for-5 against the Eagles, but the spark Thursday was provided by Zeglinski, who had 16 points in the first half.

After Boston College had built a 23-17 lead, Zeglinski hit a 3-pointer to give UVa a 24-23 lead. Corey Raji responded with a bucket and briefly restored BC's lead, but the Cavaliers scored the next 10 points to complete a 17-2 run.

The teams had played only eight days earlier, when the Eagles won 68-55 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

"We used that as motivation," Jones said. "The coaches told us that one of the announcers [ex-Providence coach Tim Welsh] said during the last game, 'Virginia left their toughness at the hotel.'

"We're better than that. We can bang down low. We can match up with Boston College. We came out here with a chip our shoulders."

After Virginia built an 11-point lead early in the second half, the Eagles (15-16) trimmed the deficit to 49-46 on a Dallas Elmore layup with 8:44 left. However, 6-foot-8 junior Mike Scott hit a short jumper on UVa's next possession and then converted a stickback that pushed the Cavaliers' lead to 53-46.

Scott, the Cavaliers' leading rebounder and second-leading scorer for the season, was held out of the starting lineup but finished with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Ironically, his only productive game of late had come at Boston College, where he had 13 points and nine rebounds.

He took offense at Welsh's comment about UVa's lack of toughness, saying "it was definitely a slap in the face."

Eighth-seeded Boston College came into the game Thursday as a five-point favorite over ninth-seeded UVa, which hadn't won an ACC Tournament game since 2006, former coach Dave Leitao's first year at the Cavalier helm.

Boston College junior Rakim Sanders had 22 points Thursday to lead all scorers and the Eagles got 18 from sophomore Reggie Jackson, but second-team All-ACC selection Joey Trapani missed all seven of his shots from the floor and finished with a season-low two points in 22 minutes.

Boston College limited itself to seven turnovers but was outdone by a Virginia team that had a season-low five turnovers, one of those on an offensive foul.

"Ceretainly it helps when some shots are going down," Bennett said, "but what I really like is, when things got a little shaky in the second half, our kids battled back and showed some resolve. They didn't falter.

"You have to do that when your tank isn't full."

VIRGINIA (15-15)

Farrakhan 3-9 4-5 10, Zeglinski 8-15 0-0 21, Sherrill 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 3-7 5-7 14, Meyinsse 4-7 4-5 12, Evans 0-3 0-0 0, Sene 0-0 0-0 0, Scott 5-11 1-3 11. Totals 23-53 14-20 68.

BOSTON COLLEGE (15-16)

Jackson 7-17 2-2 18, Raji 3-4 0-0 6, Trapani 0-7 2-2 2, Sanders 9-15 1-2 22, Southern 1-4 0-0 2, Paris 0-2 0-0 0, Roche 1-6 0-0 2, Ravenel 0-1 0-0 0, Elmore 4-4 2-2 10, Dunn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 7-8 62.

Halftime--Virginia 34-27. 3-Point Goals--Virginia 8-21 (Zeglinski 5-10, Jones 3-5, Sherrill 0-1, Scott 0-1, Farrakhan 0-4), Boston College 5-17 (Sanders 3-5, Jackson 2-6, Paris 0-1, Trapani 0-2, Roche 0-3). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Virginia 31 (Scott 13), Boston College 37 (Jackson 9). Assists--Virginia 13 (Evans, Farrakhan 4), Boston College 9 (Jackson, Sanders 3). Total Fouls--Virginia 11, Boston College 17. A--NA.