Inside The Panthers

ESPN Analyst Jay Bilas Believes Pitt Should Be Ranked

ESPN's lead college basketball analyst called the Pitt Panthers a top-20 team.

Stephen Thompson

ESPN Analyst Jay Bilas Believes Pitt Should Be Ranked
ESPN Analyst Jay Bilas Believes Pitt Should Be Ranked /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have created quite the resume this season - a 19-7 record, a program-best 12 ACC wins, three victories over ranked opponents and a 5-2 record against Quad 1 opponents. But for all the success they've had already this year, the Panthers have yet to taste the top-25 - the Panthers fell tantalizingly short this week and it left some Pitt fans upset. 

But ESPN analyst Jay Bilas believes the Panthers will get their respect soon. He thinks they are among the best in the country and will receive a ranking that reflects that in due time. 

"Pittsburgh - they're really good and Jeff Capel's done a remarkable job," Bilas told Hannah Mears on her "Beers with Mears" podcast. "Talk about a guy who's really made good decisions in the transfer portal. They're really good. I think they're top-20 good and I think it'll be reflected in the polls if not this week, then in the very near future."

Bilas also said the rankings can be fickle sometimes and not as kind to certain teams that aren't among the traditional elite in college basketball. 

"I think the rankings reflect, sometimes, how we think of them longer term rather than right now," Bilas said. "There is some 'right now' in it. If you're on a long winning streak, maybe you're not as good. College of Charleston was up there, they lose one game and now they're out and if they don't win their conference tournament, they won't make it into the NCAA Tournament."

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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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