Inside The Panthers

ESPN: Pitt's NCAA Tournament Resume Going Underrated

ESPN's John Gasaway is confused why the Pitt Panthers' NCAA Tournament resume hasn't gotten more respect.

Stephen Thompson

ESPN: Pitt's NCAA Tournament Resume Going Underrated
ESPN: Pitt's NCAA Tournament Resume Going Underrated /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers are on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament field as they begin the postseason at the ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C. this week. 

Some believe there is enough on their resume to warrant an at-large bid to the Big Dance but most major bracketologists have them on the edge as a Next Four Out team. ESPN's John Gasaway is confused by that fact and can't seem to pinpoint why the Panthers aren't viewed more favorably.  

"One might guess that a 21-10 team with a top-50 NET ranking, vanilla résumé metrics and a win at Duke would land closer to the cut line than 'next four out.'" Gasaway wrote. "This dynamic can arise when something worrisome lurks in an otherwise satisfactory profile. Bubble Watch hasn't deduced what that might be in this instance, exactly, even if Pitt did lose at home to Missouri. (Northwestern lost at home to Chicago State. The Wildcats, quite rightly, do fine in mock brackets.)"

The Panthers will play a major role in the NCAA Tournament fate of another ACC team as well. Gasaway believes Wake Forest's hopes of landing an at-large bid hinge upon their ability to advance past the second round and meet Pitt in the quarterfinals. 

"This year it falls to the ACC to tip off the Champ Week bubble drama. On Wednesday afternoon, Wake Forest will try to advance to a Thursday quarterfinal against fellow bubble team Pittsburgh."

It'll be a busy week on the bubble in the nation's capitol for Pitt and the rest of the ACC. 

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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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