Hard to leave this behind

MILWAUKEE -- Craig Smith was a forlorn figure as he trudged off the floor at the Bradley Center following Boston College's 57-54 loss to third-seeded Georgia Tech yesterday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Smith was the last player on either team to leave the court. He was reluctant to depart it for the final time this season because he felt he owed his teammates so much more after scoring 2 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in 22 foul-plagued minutes before he fouled out with 30 seconds to go.

"In all seriousness," he said, "I felt like . . . please excuse my language . . ." and here he blurted an expletive. "It was a nasty feeling. I felt we should've won and I put it on myself because I played terrible."

Smith, who was held scoreless and without a rebound in the first half, was neutralized for much of the game by foul trouble and by Georgia Tech's tough interior defense. After picking up his fourth foul and departing with 12:55 to go, Smith reentered the game when Uka Agbai drew his fourth personal with 6:48 to go. When they passed each other on the court, Agbai barked at Smith, "Keep it going!"

Smith scored his first (and only) basket with 5:15 to go to pull BC within 53-50. After Smith snagged his third consecutive defensive board, Jared Dudley tied it, 53-53, with his 3-pointer.

"Even though they were fronting me, I felt there was something I could do out there -- you know, more rebounding and just become more of a playmaker," Smith said. "But by me getting stupid fouls, I just let my team down."

Play it again Agbai's 131st career appearance (and his record 127th start) for the Eagles proved to be the last for BC's senior captain. Agbai, who had 8 points and 3 rebounds, wound up his career with 1,277 points and 656 rebounds to rank as the sixth player in BC history to record 1,000 points and 600 rebounds. "I'm very proud of the young guys," Agbai said. "They worked really hard, especially in this game, they fought and fought. We just made some minor mistakes, and that led to us losing the game." Then, sounding like someone interviewing for an NBA job, Agbai added, "As for myself? I'm sure there's a team that needs me out there in the world. I'm a hard-working man, and I'll play for anyone. I love the game of basketball, it's all about the love for the game. I'm sure someone wouldn't mind having me on their team or their staff." . . . The Eagles fell to 1-3 all-time vs. Georgia Tech (which ousted BC from the second round of the 1996 NCAA Southeast Regional in Orlando, Fla., 103-89) and 1-2 vs. ACC opponents this season, but it didn't diminish the respect they won from their future ACC opponents from Atlanta. "They have some good players and they've got a great coach," said Jarrett Jack, offering a final salute to the Eagles. "They come out there and compete as hard as they did today. They are really worthy of coming into the ACC." . . . BC suffered its first loss in the 12 games this season in which it has held its foe to 60 points or fewer . . . BC's bench, led by Jermaine Watson (11 points) and Nate Doornekamp (7 points), outscored Georgia Tech's, 18-10 . . . BC's 22 turnovers tied a season high in a 64-51 victory over Holy Cross Dec. 2. It was the fourth time this season the Eagles committed 20 or more turnovers in a game.