Terriers go out on low

WASHINGTON -- The moment their college careers ended, Chaz Carr and Rashad Bell sat shoulder to shoulder on an MCI Center bench. They held towels, wore frowns, and stared toward the court, wondering how their promising senior seasons went so sour so suddenly.

A once-promising Boston University basketball season ended last night with the Terriers falling, 64-34, to Georgetown in a first-round NIT game. The loss marked the final game in red-and-white for Carr and Bell, the primary providers of the best four-year stretch in program history.

"They're the winningest kids in the history of our school," BU coach Dennis Wolff said. "It's difficult for them. No one wants to see his career end like this."

The two-man senior class won 20 or more games in each of their seasons, finishing with an 85-36 overall record. They made first-team All-America East twice apiece and helped guide BU to the 2002 NCAA Tournament, then three straight NITs.

Last night's loss made it four straight first-round postseason exits and marked the lowest point total for a Terrier team since it scored 32 in a loss to Holy Cross Dec. 17, 1946.

"We've been blessed that we've had a chance to play in the postseason," Carr said. "We haven't put our best games forward in the NIT, but we had a hell of a season."

Carr and Bell, the only Terriers who averaged double figures in scoring this season, posted poor performances in their finales. Carr, a point guard, finished 2 for 14 from the field and scored 5 points. Bell, a power forward, shot 5 for 15 for a team-high 14 points. Wolff removed them from the game together with 2:10 remaining.

The bad offense continued a recent tailspin for the Terriers (20-9), who have failed to crack 50 points in four of their last five games, all losses. In last night's first half, they went more than 3 minutes 30 seconds without a point three times. BU shot 24 percent for the game and sank 1 of 13 3-pointers.

Meanwhile, the taller, stronger, and faster Hoyas (18-12) pulled away. A 25-2 first-half run helped the hosts build a 34-15 halftime lead, and the advantage grew to 32 points in the final minutes.

"They played pretty good D, had pretty good help on me," Bell said. "We were getting good shots at the basket. We just didn't make any of them." Then came the bad offense, which bottomed out last night. But those struggles couldn't spoil the success Bell and Carr had as Terriers.