Pitt Basketball Features in Latest ESPN Bracketology

Pitt Panthers basketball featured in the latest ESPN Bracketology, three months ahead of the new season.

Mar 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel reacts on the sidelines against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have a little more than three months until the start of the 2024-25 season, but discussions about making the next NCAA Tournament will serve a big topic with this team.

Joe Lunardi of ESPN released his latest Bracketology, which puts Pitt as the last team in, as a part of the "Last Four In."

He predicts Pitt will play in the First Four against Maryland, both as No. 11 seeds. The winner then makes to the East Region and would face off against No. 6 St. John's, led by head coach Rick Pitino, in the First Round. The winner of that game would face either No. 3 Baylor or No. 14 Louisiana Tech, the automatic qualifier out of Conference USA.

Lunardi has six ACC teams in this latest Bracketology, just one more than the five who made the 2024 NCAA Tournament. This includes No. 2 Duke, No. 2 North Carolina, No. 8 Clemson, No. 9 Wake Forest, and No. 10 Miami.

Miami joins Rutgers, Saint Mary's and Kansas State in the "Last Four Byes" and Pitt joins Oregon, Maryland and Villanova in the "Last Four In."

Louisville, who have new head coach Pat Kelsey, feature in the "First Four Out" with Georgia, VCU and Nebraska, while NC State, who just made the Final Four, come in the "Next Four Out" along with USC, Iowa and Wisconsin.

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. 

ACC Sixth Man of the Year Ishmael Leggett returns and so too does star guardJaland Lowe, who excelled in his freshman year, for the Panthers' backcourt. Houston transfer Damian Dunn, four-star guard Brandin Cummings, brother of former Pitt player Nelly Cummings, and Bosnian sharpshooter Amsal Delalic

Jorge and Guillermo Diaz Graham will play a role in the Panthers' frontcourt and so will Florida State transfer Cameron Corhen, Zack Austin and Papa Amadou Kante, who sat out last season with injury.

Pitt will look to make it back to the NCAA Tournament, as they did in the 2022-23 season, ending a seven-year drought.

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