Busting Brackets
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2017 American Athletic Conference: Five bold predictions for tournament

By Daniel Benjamin

Feb 25, 2017; Hartford, CT, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Shake Milton (1) works the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard Christian Vital (1) in the second half at XL Center. SMU defeated UConn 69-61. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2017; Hartford, CT, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Shake Milton (1) works the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard Christian Vital (1) in the second half at XL Center. SMU defeated UConn 69-61. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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4. UConn will get by USF but will not reach the championship game

Feb 19, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Jalen Adams (2) scores a game winning basket past Temple Owls center Ernest Aflakpui (24) during the second half at Liacouras Center. UConn won 64-63. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Jalen Adams (2) scores a game winning basket past Temple Owls center Ernest Aflakpui (24) during the second half at Liacouras Center. UConn won 64-63. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

The Connecticut Huskies are the only team to reach the AAC in each of its first three years. But that streak will end this season.

UConn began the season as the only AAC team ranked in the AP preseason top-25, ranked 18th. The Huskies started out the season slow, losing three of their first four games. The Huskies also lost two starters for the season during the first four games. Freshman guard Alterique Gilbert suffered a dislocated shoulder in Game 3 and VCU sophomore transfer Terry Larrier to a leg injury in Game 4.

UConn (14-16) enters the AAC tournament on a four-game losing streak. The first three of the Huskies’ losses in this recent stretch were by eight or fewer points. The Huskies got blown out in their season finale by Cincinnati (67-47). The setback to the Bearcats marked just the fourth double-digit loss of the year by the Huskies.

UConn, the sixth seed, faces 11th-seeded USF (7-22, 1-17) in the tourney’s opening round at 9 p.m. ET on March 9. The Huskies swept the season series against the Bulls, winning both games by 20 or more points. Two of the Huskies’ top three scoring efforts came against USF. Jaylen Adams (14.0 ppg) and Rodney Purvis (13.3), UConn’s top scorers, have combined for 75 of the Huskies 177 points in the series.

If UConn defeats USF , as expected, the Huskies will face third-seeded Houston. The Cougars swept the Huskies. In fact, the Huskies are just  3-7 against the American top five seeds.

UConn is 8-2 overall in AAC tournament play with the two losses coming in the 2014 and 2015 finals.