SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Boston College finally found a way out of the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Several ways, actually.

The Eagles were too big, fast and strong for 12th-seeded Montana and beat the adopted home team 69-56 Saturday in the Minneapolis Regional.

Craig Smith had 22 points and 16 rebounds, pulling down eight on offense and putting most of them back for easy layups against the undersized Grizzlies (24-7). Jared Dudley scored 20 and Tyrese Rice was strong from the outside, making four of six 3-pointers and scoring 14 points.

Boston College’s last six appearances in the tournament had ended within the first two rounds. The last time the Eagles made it to the round of 16 was 1994, when they lost to Florida in the regional finals. They await the winner of Sunday’s Villanova-Arizona game.

The fourth-seeded Eagles (28-7) won the rebounding battle 44-29 and had too much for the Grizzlies, who were coming off their first NCAA tournament victory since 1975. Montana was clearly the favorite of the fans who filled the Huntsman Center, but hopes of an upset unraveled as Smith went on an 8-0 run by himself at the end of the first half, then the Eagles put away the Grizzlies early in the second.

Several Boston College starters remained in at the end despite the lopsided score and were booed as they left the court. One threw a sweatband into the crowd and a fan threw it right back like a visitor’s home run at Wrigley Field.

Montana’s Kevin Criswell had three points, 13 below his average, and BC held Andrew Strait to 11 points – five below his average.

Jordan Hasquet led Montana with 13 points and Matt Martin scored 11 points. The Grizzlies could never get going consistently inside against Smith and Sean Williams, who had five blocks, and went 8-for-27 from the floor in the second half while trying to rally.

There was little chance of that.

The Eagles were a victim of a No. 12 seed a year ago in the second round, losing to Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Grizzlies seemed to have some of the No. 12 magic early and led for much of the first half, until Smith caught his breath for the final few minutes and scored on two short jumpers and two putbacks. Boston College, which had trailed by five, led 32-30 at halftime.

Boston College kept up the pace in the second half, opening with a 3-pointer by Dudley and another by Louis Hinnant during a 14-5 run the put the Eagles in command for good.

Hinnant finished with 10 points.

AP-ES-03-18-06 1958EST