The last months have been anything but ideal for the Cincinnati Bearcats. Two blowouts, an overtime loss to Connecticut and a couple of home-court heartbreakers have UC backing its way into March Madness and the Big East tournament.

A season once filled with dreams of a better finish than last season’s sweet-sixteen run, now has Bearcats fans wondering if the team can even make it out of the first round.

It is safe to say this team hasn’t been the same since Cashmere Wright got injured against DePaul. Wright hasn’t been blessed with healthy knees and everyone knew UC would only go as far as Wright could carry them.

Since the injury, Wright didn’t shoot more than 36 percent from the field until Monday night’s loss in Louisville. The game against the Cardinals also marked the first time since the St. John’s game in early January that Wright made three 3-pointers in a game.

Sean Kilpatrick has done his part, trying to pick up the load offensively, but without a legitimate inside presence this team will live or die by 3-point shooting in March.

Last season, Yancey Gates led the Bearcats down the stretch by averaging 14 points and seven rebounds a game in March. This year, the team’s two leading rebounders are Titus Rubles and Kilpatrick.

If Cheikh Mbodj, Justin Jackson or David Nyarsuk don’t step up and force teams to worry about their low-post game, then March won’t last long for the Bearcats.

What UC does have going for it is strong defense. Opponents have only cracked 70 points four times this year on the Bearcats while they have held teams under 60 points 16 times.

It also helps college basketball is thoroughly mediocre this season. This is a season where a mid-major — Gonzaga — is ranked No. 1.

Teams with seven and nine losses litter the top 25 and being ranked in the top five instantly places you on upset alert.

Kansas is in the top five and it lost to a TCU team that hadn’t won a game in the Big 12.

There hasn’t been a tournament field this wide open in years — good news for Cincinnati because the Bearcats sit right in the middle of this mediocre mob of teams.

There is no reason why UC couldn’t get hot and make a run similar to last season. We have all seen the team play to the level of No. 17 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. It’s beaten No. 15 Marquette and No. 20 Pittsburgh.

During the Louisville loss, the Bearcats saw glimpses of the old Cashmere Wright. He began to hit wide-open 3-pointers and dribbled past defenders to the basket.

If the Bearcats are able to get that production out of Wright — and Kilpatrick avoids going 3-15 from the field — it is very possible UC fans could have a lot of fun dancing in March.