Cardinals deal Huskies’ tourney hopes a crippling blow
Following three consecutive wins, two of them coming against top-10 foes, the Connecticut Huskies went from on life support to on the right side of the bubble for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid.
A loss at home to fellow bubble resident Louisville on Sunday offered a dose of reality.
The Cardinals overcome a double-digit deficit, geting an acrobatic layup from Edgar Sosa with eight seconds left to propel them to a 78-76 win over the Huskies.
Guard Kemba Walker, who led all scorers with 28 points, had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but he forced a difficult layup that was blocked to seal the victory for Louisville.
The loss could have potentially devastating ramifications for UConn. Sure, Louisville is a probable tourney team, but the Huskies clearly needed this game more than the Cardinals. A win would’ve evened their Big East record at 8-8, but at 7-9 and games at Notre Dame and South Florida, a sweep might be necessary to get them in the Selection Committee’s good graces again.
To add insult to injury, the loss ruined the last home game in the careers of Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson. Both have come a long way since they came to Storrs and have been instrumental in the team’s success over the past few years. Robinson finished with 14 points, Dyson 13, and fellow senior Gavin Edwards, who has made huge strides in his final season, scored 17 in defeat.
