Boston College Men's Basketball Falls to Florida State 80-72

Despite holding multiple 14-point leads, the Eagles couldn't overcome Florida State's strong free throw shooting.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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The Boston College men's basketball team fell to Florida State 80-72 on the road on Tuesday night. BC held multiple 14-point leads in the first half, but the Seminoles came back in the second half, fueled by their 27-35 performance from the free throw line. The Eagles led 42-32 at halftime but couldn't hold on, as Florida State rallied to take the victory.

Why it matters

This loss drops Boston College to 0-4 in its last four games, continuing a tough stretch for the team. The Eagles' inability to protect their large first-half leads and struggles at the free throw line proved costly against a tough ACC opponent on the road.

The details

Boston College jumped out to a 21-8 lead in the first half, thanks to strong shooting, including 8-12 from three-point range. However, Florida State chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to just one point in the second half. The Seminoles then took the lead late and held on for the 80-72 victory, aided by their dominant performance at the free throw line.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • Boston College led by as many as 14 points in the first half.

The players

Fred Payne

A Boston College player who scored 13 points and hit three three-pointers in the first half.

Chase Forte

A Boston College player who started in place of the injured Donald Hand Jr. and hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Eagles a 13-point lead in the first half.

Luka Toews

A Boston College player who scored 8 points in the first half.

Aidan Shaw

A Boston College player who had 8 points and 4 rebounds in the first half.

Caleb Steger

A Boston College player who hit a key three-pointer in the second half to give the Eagles a 12-point lead.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to close out games and protect our leads. This was a tough loss, but we'll learn from it and come back stronger.”

— Fred Payne, Boston College Player

What’s next

Boston College will look to bounce back on Saturday, February 21 when they host SMU at 4 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ACC Network.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the continued struggles for the Boston College men's basketball team, who have now lost four straight games. The inability to protect large leads and struggles at the free throw line proved costly against a tough ACC opponent on the road.