It felt more like time for brunch than for basketball, and Boston College was almost toast.
After a run to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title game and a narrow loss to Duke, the Eagles became a chic pick for the Final Four. They almost didn’t make it to the second round.
Pacific, its upset credentials established after beating Pittsburgh last season and Providence two years ago, very nearly pulled its biggest yet. The Tigers (24-8) took the fourth-seeded Eagles to double overtime before losing 88-76 Thursday in a first-round game that began at 10:40 a.m. local time.
“I’m proud as heck of our team and disappointed we don’t have a chance to go on,” Pacific coach Bob Thomason said.
Led by Christian Maraker’s 30-point, nine-rebound performance, Pacific came from 13 points behind in the second half to force overtime when Maraker was left wide open for a three-pointer with 11 seconds left.
Two three-pointers by Mike Webb gave Pacific a six-point lead in the first overtime. The Tigers led by two with 21 seconds left when Michael White missed a shot. Then Boston College’s Craig Smith tied the score with two free throws to send the game to a second overtime.
Thomason didn’t like the foul called on Maraker with 4.3 seconds left against the burly Smith, who muscled his way inside. Thomason said Maraker played him straight up.
“I don’t want to get fined or anything, but it’s a call you don’t see much in college basketball,” he said.
Smith, a 66 percent free-throw shooter, made both.
“We kept our composure,” said Smith, whose 25 points and 13 rebounds led the Eagles (27-7).
The second OT started with an alley-oop dunk for BC’s Sean Williams and was all Eagles.
