EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - When John Wallace fouled out with 65 seconds left in last night's NCAA championship game against Kentucky, he called his Syracuse teammates around him at the sideline.

''He said to keep it going,'' center Otis Hill remembered. ''It was only five points. He said 'You guys can win this thing without me.' ''

It was one of the few times Wallace was wrong all night.

With him gone, so were Syracuse's chances. The Orangemen did not score another point and wound up losing 76-67.

Wallace finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds. They were important numbers.

More significant, however, were the five personal fouls that put him on the bench at the end.

''It was a hard-hitting game,'' Wallace said. ''I can't worry about personal fouls. I play the same way. I don't care how many fouls I have. That was the last game of my college career.''

Coach Jim Boeheim paid his big man the ultimate compliment.

''John Wallace stepped up as big as anybody ever has for us,'' he said.

Hill said much the same thing.

''All season long, he carried us on his back,'' he said. ''It was a great ride. He put us on his back in Maui and just carried us. We should have been able to take some of the weight off his shoulder.''