Maryland Tanks Another ACC Tournament; NCAA Bubble Bursts

If there is one thing we can count on, it is the Maryland Terrapins stinking up the ACC tournament.

In the Gary Williams era (beginning in 1989-90), the Terps have won exactly one ACC tournament (2004). The only other time they've even got to the finals was in 2000. Taking out the 2004 ACC Championship team, the Terps have won just one game in the tournament since 2003.

The Terps lost their first round game against Boston College today, essentially ending any hopes to get into the NCAA tournament. The loss is their 5th in six games ... and sixth out of eight. Understand that the BC team that beat them had lost six straight games and 12 of 13. Needless to say, this was embarassing.

And unlike previous years where Terps fans can moan about the tournament being in North Carolina (which it is again this year), Maryland lost to Boston College ... a school that is on the outskirts of the ACC and making just their third ACC tournament appearance.

Oh, and you want more? The Terps had a 20-5 lead in this game and led the Eagles come back! This team was the definition of kaput and they let them come back and win the game?

That's our Maryland! This team has been the conference's biggest enigma. They can win at North Carolina (only Duke did that, and Ty Lawson didn't play against the Blue Devils) but lose to American and Ohio. This is a team that was riding high and looked as if they could challenge for the ACC regular season championship ... then completely fall apart.

Maryland knew that it needed a big run in the ACC tournament to make the Big Dance. You could figure that the Terps could beat lowly Boston College ... then topple Clemson and Duke (tall order, yes, but that's what needed to be done) and get to the ACC championship game. That run alone may have been good enough to get them on the good side of the bubble.

Yet, with all that on the table, the Terps manage to screw it up.