The "Bald" Eagles

Keep flying high
By John Chagaris
March 18, 2006



SALT LAKE CITY -- It proved to be the wake up call that the Eagles needed, no more hitting the snooze button and waiting for two overtimes to wake up and put away their foe. And the "Bald" Eagles came to play. Four men in double figures, Hinnant with 10, Rice with 14, Dudley with 20 and then the MVP of the game Smith with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and four assists.

The Montana Grizzlies had their chances, being down by two going into halftime but it could and should have been more. Jared Dudley with time running out misses a layup, no problem Craig Smith gets the rebound and misses a layup, no problem we'll get the ball to Sean Williams who will also miss the layup.

After halftime it was a different ball game. Jared Dudley comes out and nails a three pointer, after a dunk by Momtana, Boston College went on an 11-3 run, where the game was just about over. The score looks lopsided but one needs to keep inmind that the Eagles failed to score after Tyrese Rice made a layup with 3:51 remaining in the game. Slouches weren't in eather, Dudley was still in, Craig Smith was still in and Sean Williams was still in.

When it was all said and done Boston College ended their streak of six straight exits within the first two rounds, entering the Sweet Sixteen in the first time in 12 years.

"You've got to have [that] killer instinct," said Eagle Jared Dudley, "For the first tiem al year, we did that. You can't trade baskets, especially at this time because that's when you get beat."

The first half through had the Eagles hitting the snooze alarm and would have went into the half down if Craig Smith did not go on an 8-0 to get the Eagles back into the game.

"We've got guys who can do [a] lot of different things," said Smith.

The Eagles did catch heat for leaving their starters in late into the game when the scoreboard already dictated a winner. As the Eagles were walking toward their lockerroom Tyrese Rice threw his armbands into the crowd and the fan quickly threw it back as if he was playing hot potato.

"I thought it was funny because it wasn't the first time that's happened to me. We're moving on and they're going home and that's all that madders," Rice said. "Everywhere we go the crowd is always against us because everybody wants to see the upset."

The Eagles will be watching tomorrow as they face the winner of Villanova v. Arizona.