CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — The ball was safest in Michael Gbinije’s hands.

In Trevor Cooney’s, it went up and off the rim. Give it to Rakeem Christmas, and a tired sequence of bumping, fouling and frustration was bound to ensue. And when Boston College had the ball, the Eagles were likely to put it out of bounds.

But so often when Gbinije caught the ball, he began a charge that ended with celebration and the ball through the bottom of the net. The ball-handling forward led Syracuse (16-8, 7-4 Atlantic Coast) with 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 70-56 win over Boston College (9-14, 1-10) in front of 5,476 at Conte Forum on Wednesday night.

It was Gbinije’s third straight double-digit scoring game and SU’s easiest win since conference play began. It was a game with no bearing on any postseason and the Orange’s last against a team with a losing record, but one in which Gbinije said he felt like the best player on the floor.

“I know personally that our season’s coming to an end sooner than the rest of the teams that we’re playing against,” Gbinije said. “And I think that gave us a little edge and definitely gave me a little edge to play hard.”

His streak started when he hit the game-winning buzzer-beater against Virginia Tech in the Carrier Dome on Feb. 3.

Whenever Gbinije’s received the ball since, he’s looked to the basket and has, largely, gotten there.

With 11:28 left in the first half against the Eagles he blew past BC guard Aaron Brown down the left baseline, ducked under the hoop and finished right-handed with his back to the basket, giving the Orange a 12-11 lead.

“It feels good,” Gbinije said. “My confidence is a little high.”

Syracuse never gave that lead back. And for much of the game, there was no reason for Gbinije to give it back.

Christmas was struggling with what Boeheim said was the most double teams the senior forward has faced this season. Cooney was clanking open 3s. If Gbinije wasn’t helping Kaleb Joseph push SU through its offense, he was taking two dribbles to the rim and full advantage of anything Boston College gave him.

“People are not going to help because they’re going to stay with Rak,” Boeheim said. “So he’s going to get that lane to the basket. And he’s just played well. He’s really played well for a long time. He’s having a tremendous year.”

After the Orange’s 83-77 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday, Boeheim couldn’t decide if Gbinije was more dangerous initiating Syracuse’s offense or attacking from the wing. On Wednesday night, it didn’t matter.

When SU went to its time-wasting offense with 2:10 left, Gbinije handled the ball at the top of the key. And when BC’s Garland Owens broke downcourt with 1:35 remaining in pursuit of a meaningless dunk, Gbinije reached around his right hip and knocked the ball away.

It belonged to him, and with it, the game belonged to his team.

Christmas was about four minutes removed from lobbing a hook shot off the left side of the backboard. Cooney was in the middle of statistically salvaging his performance with some late free throws, an open 3 and a runout layup.

Gbinije was just finishing.

“He’s playing as good as any player in the country,” assistant coach Mike Hopkins said, “and that helps everybody.”

Published on February 11, 2015 at 9:06 pm

Contact Jacob: jmklinge@syr.edu | @Jacob_Klinger_