Pitt's NCAA Tournament Hopes Helped by Memphis Loss

The Pitt Panthers saw the bubble picture become a bit clearer on Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Pitt Panthers saw a fellow NCAA Tournament bubble team drop its first conference tournament game while another likely locked up a spot in the field on Thursday. 

The Panthers received some good news as Memphis' disappointing season came to a conclusion with a 71-65 loss against Wichita State in the second round of the AAC Tournament. The Tigers fell behind by as many as 14 points in the second half before taking a one-point lead with 3:30 left, though the Shockers ultimately finished the job and sent Memphis packing. 

The Tigers were under consideration for a bid according to ESPN's Joe Lunardi coming into the day but fell off the bubble completely after a Quad 3 loss. After ranking as high as No. 10 in the AP poll and starting the year 15-2, Memphis will miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020-21 while removing another competitor from the picture for Pitt. 

St. John's, on the other hand, may have clinched an appearance in the Big Dance for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The Johnnies defeated Seton Hall 91-72 in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, moving them from the Last Four In to one of the Last Four Byes in Lunardi's latest projections. 

The Panthers helped themselves with a Quad 1 win over Wake Forest in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, pushing them up into Lunardi's Last Four Out, but it would appear that there is more work to be done in order for them to secure a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth despite seeing a number of fellow bubble teams lose on Thursday. 

Pitt can remove any doubts about its status with a victory over North Carolina in the semifinals on Friday, though it won't come easy. The game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. with the broadcast airing on ESPN. 

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