Personally, Im better with the first two over the third. You can always re-sell the car and punch Sheen, but there is no option with the Huskies.

They are inert, formless and without alternatives. Coach Lorenzo Romar is as clueless as Ive ever seen him.

Which doesnt mean that they cant do Thursday in Los Angeles what they failed to do twice this season  beat Washington State.

But if they dont, theyre done. At least as far as the NCAA tournament. And if you think they played with March Flatness Saturday in the 62-60 loss to USC, wait until you get a load of the Huskies first-round home game in the National Invitation Tournament against Southeastern Bemidji A&P.

Whether it was Senior Day awkwardness with all family members in the house for Justin Holiday, Venoy Overton and Matthew Bryan-Amaning, or the assertion of will by the visitors over the best home-court advantage in the Pac-10, or the collapse of nearly everyone at once on the roster, USC not only went wire-to-wire on the Huskies, the Trojans were never out of control.

Consider that C.J. Wilcox followed up his remarkable 24-point second half Thursday in the win over UCLA with a meager four points in 16 minutes.

Yet that was four points more than fellow reserve Darnell Gantand two starters, Holiday and Aziz NDiaye, had — COMBINED.

Afterward, Romar was groping for an explanation about his rotation.

If we had not have played C.J., I would have been vilified, I am sure  send me to a guillotine tonight, he said. I probably would have sent myself for not playing C.J. He just came off from playing one of the best performances ever.

OK. So play him. But by not including in the rotation freshman Terrence Ross, who seems overwhelmed, the Huskies were down to eight players, one more than the Trojans used, and only five players scored. The line at the guillotine Saturday night was long.

In the Romar era, it might have been the worst game to end a winning regular season. Closing at 5-6 with two home losses in the final three games, the Huskies swagger is gone, replaced by indecision.

Its clear that opponents have learned to slow the Huskies into a half-court game, then strangle the post players with zones.

That leaves the offense to the three-point shot, a weapon that is almost exclusively a confidence issue. Right now, the confidence level is zero.

The zone has been getting us, you could say, said Overton, the lone Husky player up to speed Saturday. Weve gotta get in the gym and everybodys gotta get to shooting. Weve gotta be ready. Its the big stage, and I think well play good on the big stage.

This group isnt vulnerable to stage fright  theyve had NCAA tourney experience, and they did well on the national TV game in Arizona against the Pac-10 champions. Besides, playing Wazzu in the 8:40 p.m. game between No. 3 and No. 6 Thursday in Staples Center in blasé LA, there wont be 2,000 fans left by halftime.

This is an internal issue of having lost faith in themselves and one another. Combined with fatigue from the growing shorthandedness, its visible on defense, the Washington trademark.

In the early going, quick USC guards Maurice Jones and Jio Fontan penetrated against little resistance. Help defense was negligible. Lots of high percentage shots were available, and the game was lost in the first half, as it was a week ago against WSU. The Huskies started the last three games as if it were a November exhibition opener to work on new tactics.

The tourney match-up is, in some respects, the worst for Washington because WSUs head coach, Ken Bone, is the former assistant to Romar who knows every UW weakness.

Back when Washington was riding high at 15-4 and 7-1, they went into Pullman Jan. 30 and lost 87-80, Bone offering his beat-UW template available for all to see. The defeat was the beginning of the 5-6 run to the desultory end Saturday.

Post-game, the Huskies had to fall back on hoary bromides to explain themselves.

“Its hard to beat a team three times in any sport,” said Isaiah Thomas. “So, were focusing and getting ready for them and hopefully we will have a good game.”

Actually, it isn’t that hard to beat a team three times in the same year. Happens all the time. Especially when the 0-2 team no longer trusts itself.

YourThoughts

KJP

Nice piece. It’s true, people in Lincoln are generally nice and honestly pleased that people would come visit. Not to mention that it’s a great town with nice people, and a low crime rate. If anyone isn’t nice to you, just tell another Husker fan, and the rude offenders will be berated and treated like the pretenders that they are.
Also, while you’re in Lincoln, don’t forget to check out the nightlife at 14th and O Streets. Lots of fun bars, and a super fun gameday scene (any night really). It’s also the home of Duffy’s Tavern, which is a famous gameday venue with a big outdoor area, but an even better known music venue. Nirvana (among others) played there, and it was rated as the best college bar in America by Complex.com earlier this year. Everyone there is super nice. Have fun in Lincoln.

huska

One of my favorite memories of all time came after a devastating victory by Texas over Nebraska in Lincoln in 1998. As recalled by Mack Brown….

“The highlight of my sports life in sportsmanship was in ’98, when … (Texas’) Ricky Williams gained 150 yards,” he said. He recalled telling Williams to wear his helmet out on the Memorial Stadium field for postgame interviews, only to hear Nebraska fans start chanting, “Heisman, Heisman, Heisman” for Williams

I hope that Husker fans don’t do anything to diminish that reputation this weekend or anytime for the rest of my life. Have fun in Lincoln, U-Dub. GBR.

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