Bubble Trouble

It's kind of amazing that we are even discussing the possibility of Maryland making the NCAA tournament considering where the Terps were back in December. But once again the team is looking like they are trying to find ways to prove once again that you can't spell Terrapins without N-I-T.

I think the most frustrating thing about this Terps squad is how damn talented they are. Boom Osby, Greivis Vasquez, James Gist are all outstanding ballplayers who have NBA talent. Landon Milbourne and Eric Hayes, despite being sophomores, ave made outstanding contributions. When this team is on their game, they can beat anybody.

And maybe that's what's so damn frustrating is the fact that they can beat anybody, but often lose games that they have no business losing. Blowing a 14-point lead to Virginia Tech at home on Wednesday is unconscionable. A 15-point road loss at equally bubble worthy Miami doesn't help either. In fact, the Terps have lost three out of four, and with only three conference games left (at Wake, home against Clemson, and at Virginia) the best the team can hope for is 20-11 overall and a 10-6 conference record going into the ACC tournament, and hoping that 10-6 is good enough to get a first-round bye.

Even then, the Terps are going to have to win at least a game or two in Charlotte to feel safe about their chances. The losses to Missouri, Ohio, Virginia Commonwealth, and especially American make it very difficult for the Terps to make a case for an at-large bid otherwise.

I hope that Coach Williams can keep the troops motivated and focused the last few weeks of the season, because as of right now, common sense and the RPI tells us that teams like South Alabama, New Mexico, Kent State, and even Stephen F. Austin might have a better claim on an at-large berth than the Terps. But this team is good enough to go a long way in the tournament....if they can get there.