Inside The Panthers

Pitt Players React to NCAA Tournament Snub

Pitt Panthers players didn't hide their disappointment at being left out of the NCAA Tournament.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Players React to NCAA Tournament Snub
Pitt Players React to NCAA Tournament Snub /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers were one of many teams left on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament field and the players - past and present - were understandably distraught. 

Pitt's players said following what would up being a season-ending loss to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament semifinals that they believed they deserved a soot in the NCAA Tournament but were left with an abrupt end to their season instead. 

Redshirt junior forward Zack Austin was the first to make his disappointment known on Twitter with a simple message. Freshman guard Jaland Lowe was more pointed with his comments. 

Even former players chimed in with their thoughts on the Panthers missing the big dance. Two key members of the Pitt team that just snuck into last year's Tournament as one of the Last Four In - Nike Sibande and Nelly Cummings - were surprised their former squad didn't get the nod to the big dance. 

Sibande responded to the Panthers' decision to not participate in the National Invitational Tournament and get a jump start on the 2024 offseason with surprise that they even had to consider playing in a lesser event. 

The Panthers don't have much time to wallow in their disappointment, though. The offseason has already begun and they have to get to work, recruiting, hitting the transfer portal and improving on the court ahead of next season. 

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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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