Inside The Panthers

Bracketology Watch: Pitt Needs Just One More Win

The Pitt Panthers are close to unofficially clinching their first NCAA Tournament bid in seven years.

Stephen Thompson

Bracketology Watch: Pitt Needs Just One More Win
Bracketology Watch: Pitt Needs Just One More Win /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers need to clear just one more hurdle before they can unofficially clinch their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2016. After cracking the AP top 25 for the first time in seven years, the Panthers are inches away from locking in a trip to the Big Dance. 

Joe Lunardi, ESPN's lead bracketologist and widely considered one of the most accurate NCAA Tournament forecasters out there, has Pitt as a nine seed and the No. 35 overall seed in his latest tournament projections. It's slated to play eight seed Arkansas in Columbus, Ohio, with one seed Purdue looming in the second round, barring an incredible upset from either Fairleigh Dickinson or Howard. 

Andy Katz of Turner Sports and the NCAA also released a new set of projections that have Pitt as a nine seed facing Rutgers in the opening round of the South Region. Alabama, the top seed in that quadrant, will likely await the winner in the next round.  

Lunardi thinks the Panthers need to earn at least a simple split of their final two regular season games - or earn at least one victory in the ACC Tournament - to go dancing. 

"One more victory - anywhere, against anyone - and Pitt locks up their first NCAA tourney bid since 2016," Lunardi wrote. 

The Panthers can earn that victory tonight when they take on Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPNU. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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