Pitt Rises in Latest ESPN Bracketology

The Pitt Panthers rose in the latest ESPN Bracketology.

Mar 14, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Jaland Lowe (15) celebrates after the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers saw their standing improve in the latest ESPN Bracketology after the first week of the season.

Pitt blewout Radford in their season opener on Nov. 4, 96-56, outlasted Murray State on Nov. 8, 83-68, and dominated Gardner-Webb for an 83-64 victory on Nov. 11, with all games coming at home.

Joe Lunardi improved Pitt's standing from the last team in the "Last Four In" to the last team in the "Last Four Byes."

He also placed Pitt as the No. 11 seed in the West Region, facing off against No. 6 Illinois in the First Round at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, a close drive for Pitt fans to make.

The Fighting Illini' are 2-0 and finished just outside the top 25 in the most recent AP Poll.

The winner between the two schools would face off against either No. 3 Tennessee or No. 14 Vermont, the automatic qualifier from the America East.

Pitt struggled initially in ACC play, with a 1-5 start, but managed to win 11 of their last 14 games, finished No. 4 overall in the conference and made the ACC Tournament Semifinals. Still, they missed out on the NCAA Tournament and rejected a bid for the NIT, ending their season at 22-11.

They came close to making the NCAA Tournament, but the Selection Committee chose to go with six teams from the Mountain West, who all lost by the Sweet 16.

The Panthers lost All-ACC First Team forward Blake Hinson to graduation and All-Rookie Team/All-ACC Honorable Mention guard Carlton "Bub" Carrington to the NBA Draft, but bring back an exciting cast of players. 

They still possess a great backcourt, with the return of ACC Sixth Man of the Year in senior guard Ish Leggett and rising star sophomore guard Jaland Lowe. Damian Dunn came as a graduate transfer from Houston and all three guards have started the first three games.

Pitt has gone with a starting frontcourt of junior forwards Guillermo Diaz Graham and Cam Corhen, who transferred in from Florida State.

Redshirt senior forward Zack Austin has played well off the bench and both freshman guards in Brandin "Beebah" Cummings and Amsal Delalić from Bosnia and Herzegovina will feature heavily this season.

Pitt will look to make it back to the NCAA Tournament, last doing so in 2022-23, which ended a seven-year drought without making the postseason.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

• Pitt Women's Basketball Dealt Blowout vs. West Virginia
• Pitt Falls From College Football Playoff Rankings
• Pitt Women's Basketball G Suffers Gruesome Injury
• Pitt Reveals Depth Chart vs. Clemson
• Pitt HC Deems ACC Best Conference

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt