By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ATLANTA - Anthony Myles had to watch the last 12 minutes of his senior career tick by while sitting on the bench.

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The Xavier center, who ironically was playing one of the best games of his career, fouled out of Xavier's Elite Eight game against Duke with 12:27 still on the clock.

Without Myles, Xavier was forced into difficult matchup situations against a bigger Duke team, which eventually won 66-63 at the Georgia Dome to advance to the Final Four.

Xavier did not wilt without Myles, but not having him in the game to rebound cost Xavier in the end when Duke's J.J. Redick hit a big 3-pointer after a Luol Deng offensive rebound.

Myles had been battling Duke's 6-foot-9 center Shelden Williams throughout the game, each taking his turn making plays. When he fouled out, Myles had scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. Williams finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Myles committed four of the fouls in the second half.

"It hurts a lot, because I know if I had been out there it would have been a different game," Myles said. "I don't know what was going on in the second half, but I don't think I was fouling him. I probably fouled him twice in the second half. I don't think the last two that I got were fouls."

The last two fouls, which occurred within 6 seconds of one another, were certainly the most controversial. Referees called Myles for his fourth foul with 12:33 left for holding Williams in the post.

"He said I was holding him with my hands, but I had my hands up," Myles said.

Xavier coach Thad Matta wanted Williams to be called for a 3-second call on the play and realized too late that he needed to get Myles out of the game. By the time Matta sent Brandon Cole to the check-in table, Duke had inbounded the ball, which is when Myles picked up his fifth and final foul.

"I thought somebody was going to come in, but I looked over there and there wasn't nobody there," Myles said. "The play started, and I did my best not to get a fifth foul, but they called it anyway."

Referees said he pushed off Williams on a rebound attempt that Myles grabbed. When the whistle blew, Myles knew his night was over. Xavier led 44-41 at the time, but Duke's Daniel Ewing hit a 3-pointer on the same possession.

"We were trying to get (Myles) out of the game," Matta said. "I think they got the ball in pretty quick. I probably made a mistake because I thought that on the first foul, (Williams) was in the lane a little too long. We should have gotten him out of there."

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com