ESPN Men's Basketball

BOSTON -- Reggie Jackson scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead struggling Boston College to a 76-72 win over Maryland on Saturday.

Corey Raji added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles (16-9, 6-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). BC had dropped five of its last seven league games after starting 3-0.

Jackson, a 6-foot-3 junior guard, had his previous high of 30 against Yale in a 75-67 loss on Nov. 18.

Dino Gregory scored 15 points, and Pe'Shon Howard and Terrell Stoglin each had 14 for Maryland (16-9, 5-5). The Terrapins lost for just the second time in seven games.

Maryland forward Jordan Williams, who had a double-double in each of the last three conference games, was held to 12 points and eight rebounds.

After Maryland opened a five-point edge at the start of the second half on two free throws by Williams, neither team led by more than three until Jackson's 3-point play gave Boston College a 56-52 lead with 9:26 to play. He drove the lane, hit a spinning reverse layup while being fouled on the play, then made the free throw.

Following a media timeout, Raji had a putback and Jackson another twisting drive, pushing the lead to 60-52 with 7:35 left.

Maryland called time out to try to stem the momentum, but Jackson followed a Terrapins miss with a 3 from the top of the key, his fourth in the game from beyond the arc.

Howard scored five points during a 7-0 run by Maryland that cut it to 63-59, but Biko Paris nailed a 3 from the top of the key and Jackson had a driving layup with 2:34 left to make it 68-59.

The Terrapins closed it to 70-66 but Jackson nailed a 3 with 59 seconds left. Joe Trapani, who finished with 10 points, hit three free throws in the closing minute.

Maryland, which overcame a seven-point deficit late in the opening half, led 40-37 at halftime.

It was a fairly well-played and spirited first half between the two teams, who are in the middle of the conference standings and fighting to align themselves for a possible NCAA berth.

The Eagles pulled to a 29-22 lead on Trapani's short jumper with 6:29 left in the half before the Terrapins scored 18 of the final 26 points to gain their three-point lead at intermission.

BC went 5 of 13 on 3-point attempts in the first half, collecting four in a span of 2:30. Maryland also made five 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes.