Money Williams Scores 35 Points as Boston College Beats Massachusetts 71-55
Money Williams put up 35 points, nine rebounds, and five assists to carry Boston College past Massachusetts 71-55 on Friday night in the Commonwealth Classic at TD Garden. The win lifts the Eagles to a 2-0 record under first-year coach Luke Murray at the home of the Boston Celtics, marking the first time the teams competed against each other at the venue since 2014.
The game turned in the second half when Williams connected on Boston College’s second 3-pointer of the night with 4:37 remaining, pushing the lead to 60-51. That basket broke a streak of nine consecutive misses from beyond the arc for the Eagles. UMass had clawed back to within four points during that field-goal drought, cutting into a margin that Williams quickly restored by hitting another 3-pointer with 2:56 left to make it 67-55.
Williams Sets Record with Historic Scoring Performance
Williams finished shooting 10 of 22 from the field and was a perfect 13 of 13 at the free-throw line. According to ESPN, that stat line made him the first Boston College player to record at least 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists in at least the last 30 seasons. The performance builds on an impressive debut where Williams scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds, and handed out four assists against Wagner on Tuesday.
Support for Williams came from across the roster. Zak Smrekar added 12 points, bringing his total to 12 through his first two games. Brandon Benjamin provided a spark off the bench with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Money Williams was cashing buckets 🪣🔥 He is the first BC player to finish with 35+ PTS, 5+ REB, and 5+ AST in at least the last 30 seasons 😤 pic.twitter.com/bwgFcLTUnC
On the other side, Massachusetts fell to 1-1. Dwayne Wimbley Jr. led the Minutemen with 15 points, while Abdullah Ahmed contributed 12 points. Boston College holds a 27-22 record over the Minutemen, avenging last year’s 76-74 loss.
Looking Ahead to the Next Matchups
Both teams return to action next week with non-conference home games. Massachusetts will host UMass Lowell on Wednesday. Boston College stays at home to face Maryland Eastern Shore on Tuesday at Conte Forum.
