It’s nearly inevitable: At some point or another, senior guard Corey Lowe will go down as one of the greatest men’s basketball players to don Boston University’s scarlet and white jersey.

Yet, in the wake of Lowe’s untimely departure from the Terriers’ squad, I’m not convinced that that time is upon us. Yes, Lowe holds the record for 3-pointers made (313) and minutes played (3,828). And yes, the phenomenal guard ranks third all-time in points scored (1,815). But, as a fan of BU Basketball, Lowe’s post-controversy comments (“Judgment Call,” March 29 p.1) are, quite frankly, troubling &- especially coming from an elected team leader:

“I was kind of skeptical about the CBI [College Basketball Invitational] from the get-go.”

“[T]he CBI is new, so in my mind, the things we had done this season, an the run we made in the America East Tournament were more satisfactory than playing in the CBI.”

“There was really nothing left to fight for and play through injury for. We got most of our goals as a team, and cool, sure, everybody maybe wanted to win the CBI. For me it was like, we can still play in it, but me personally, I want to rest.”

Now, I’ll admit that I’ve never tried to fight through a groin injury, nor do I have any desire to find out exactly what that would feel like. And I’m well aware that an invitation to the CBI doesn’t carry the same clout as a bid to the NCAA tournament or the NIT. But to tell the media that there was “nothing left to fight for?”

That seems a bit ridiculous.

Call me old-fashioned, but as far as I’m concerned, as long as there’s another game to be played, there’s something left to fight for. Heck, if the thought of hoisting some CBI hardware didn’t appeal to &- or motivate &- the co-captain senior guard, there were always 14 other reasons on the Terrier bench that should’ve helped inspire Lowe to fight for a small measure of postseason satisfaction &- his teammates.

And, had Lowe come forward to inform the media that his decision not to play against Morehead State University or Virginia Commonwealth University was motivated primarily by health concerns, his loyalty to the program, his heart and his leadership would &- most likely &- never have come under scrutiny. I can’t imagine anyone questioning Lowe’s desire to avoid permanent injury.

Instead, Lowe said that after helping BU to its first 20-win season in five years, there was nothing left for him to accomplish.

“That was my last chance to do something as a player at BU,” Lowe said of his performance against Oregon State University in the first round of the CBI.

That statement is precisely where Lowe went wrong. You see, had the senior helped steer his talented Terrier squad through tournament play, Lowe would have cemented&-and elevated&-his place in BU basketball history.

Sure, the CBI lacks the glitz and glamour afforded to the NCAA tournament (or, to a smaller degree, the NIT). But, CBI play does provide participants with an ample proving ground &- pitting pretty good teams against one another in postseason play. Big wins against quality competition during this year’s CBI could help create momentum and propel the Terriers to one of the nation’s more “prestigious” tournaments next year.

And isn’t that year-to-year improvement always one of the “team goals” Lowe mentioned in his interview?

Heck, if nothing else, Lowe was offered the chance to play several more games with BU athletes he called “some of [his] best friends.” And, as most college athletes will (probably) tell you, such opportunities are anything but guaranteed.

So the question remains: Why wouldn’t a player &- a team leader &- want to be a part of all of that?

With all of that said, I’m not ready to label our senior standout a quitter or a traitor (there are far too many unknowns in this situation to do so). Nor am I prepared to strike Lowe’s illustrious career from memory. (The circumstances surrounding Lowe’s alleged dismissal from the team are far too vague &- and, as of right now, one-sided &- to make any definitive judgments).

But I can say, with a measure of confidence, that his comments &- the comments published for fans and teammates to see &- did not reflect the demeanor or desire of a team leader, much less an eventual BU basketball legend.

“All I ask is that people remember how well this year went and get back to the positive,” Lowe said after his departure.

Unfortunately for Lowe, many BU fans have to muddle through the negative &- the disappointment, the confusion and the frustration &- before they can look back fondly on his impressive career, especially the phenomenal performance in 2010’s AE Tournament.

The time will come to write that chapter. It’s just not now.