Pop! UConn's NCAA Bubble Bursts in South Bend

Well that hurts.

With all due respect to world class bracketologist Joe Lunardi's latest projections, that sound you heard in South Bend last night was UConn's bubble bursting.

The Huskies picked the absolute worst time to play their worst game of the year. Yes, even worse than the recent Cincinnati game.

Against Cincy on Feb. 13, UConn's lack of effort was embarrassing. Last night it was everything else: it was a complete team effort at stinking. Not one player had a good game. Not one.

When asked what went wrong last night, Coach Calhoun responded, "nearly every fundamental known to mankind."

Then there's this one: "How do you tell a kid, "Get a rebound and don't throw it to the scorer's table," or "Don't throw it to half court where there are two guys with white jerseys?"" Calhoun said. "I'm not sure what teaching point—I must have missed the early lessons of Coaching 101. Yet, to be fair to them, I'm the coach... I fully take responsibility."

Gavin Edwards had 10 points and 11 rebounds, but also gave up four turnovers.

Kemba Walker had 15 points and no turnovers, but committed enough unforgivably silly fouls to land him on the bench during critical stretches of the game.

Poor Jerome Dyson has now thrown up two stinkers in a row, and you could see how much it was tearing him up inside.

Stanley Robinson—Oh Stanley, where did you go? Only six points... on four field goal attempts?

There was a lid on the basket and a hole in their collective heads.

I don't want to be too mean; these are just kids after all, but dang! UConn gave the ball to ND every fourth trip down the floor.

However, let no one be influenced by the outcome, Notre Dame was pathetic last night. They stunk just as bad as the Huskies. This was about as winnable a game as you could ask for, but the Huskies just gave it away.

So here we are sitting at 17-13, 7-10 in the Big East. That is not good enough...sorry, Joe.

The Huskies have one game left in the regular season. They play at South Florida (18-11, 8-9 Big East), another team trying to fight their way into the tournament. A win in Tampa does nothing to get the Huskies dancing. A must-win, sure...just not enough to make a difference.

At this point, consecutive losses have negated the three-game win streak, and left UConn needing to do something that no current Huskies player has done—win in the Big East tournament.

UConn will be the 12th seed in New York regardless of what happens at USF. Three more victories are almost certainly needed at this point...either the USF game and two in the BET, or somehow reaching the quarterfinals at MSG. Maybe they can squeak in with two more victories, but I doubt it.

Sorry, I just don't see it. Not this team—not this year. I love this team. These kids are easy to like, but something is simply missing on this team.

The 2009-10 UConn Huskies are good enough to beat anyone in the country: even Kansas. Unfortunately, they can also lose to just about anyone.