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March 19, 2000
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Telisha Quarles had eight of her career-high 24points during a 10-0 run in the second half Sunday night as Virginia beatBoston College 74-70 in the second round of the women’s NCAA tournament.
The Cavaliers, seeded fourth in the Mideast Regional, reached the final 16for the first time in three years.
Fifth-seeded Boston College (26-9) finished its second trip to thetournament the same way its first one ended. Last year, the Eagles lost toTennessee in the second round.
Virginia (25-8) won its 15th consecutive home game with solid defenseagainst the Eagles’ scoring leaders and the clutch outside shooting of Quarles,who hit three 3-pointers in the critical 6 1/2-minute second-half stretch.
The Eagles’ top two scorers were held scoreless in the first half andmanaged 14 points overall. Alissa Murphy, who had 26 in the first round,finished with three on 1-for-7 shooting, and Cal Bouchard was 4-for-11 for 11points.
Bouchard’s first basket, a 3-pointer with 15:19 left, gave the Eagles a40-36 lead, but with a crowd that included Buffalo Bills quarterback and BostonCollege alumnus Doug Flutie cheering every play, Quarles shot the Cavaliersback in front.
Quarles hit a 3-pointer from the right wing with 14:33 left, followed asteal and layup by Renee Robinson with a 10-footer and then added another3-pointer, this one from the left corner, to cap the burst that gave Virginia a46-40 lead with 9:53 to play.
The Eagles closed to within 48-45 with 8:22 left, but Quarles pulled upagain in the left corner and knocked down another long-distance shot. TheEagles were never within three again until the final minute.
With the score 73-70 and four second left, Quarles capped her night with afree throw that put the game out of reach.
Quarles finished 8-for-17 from the field, 5-for-8 from behind the arc.
Becky Gottstein led Boston College with 25 points, one short of her careerhigh, and Brianne Stepherson had 21. The two combined for the Eagles’ first 24points until Nicole Conway’s jumper 51 seconds before halftime.
Virginia led 30-26 at halftime. Boston College’s point total was half whatit managed in the first 20 minutes of its first-round game against Nebraska.