ESPN Analyst Calls Pitt NCAA Tournament Sleeper

The Pitt Panthers cannot be overlooked as an NCAA Tournament threat in the eyes of a national expert.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Pitt Panthers are lurking beneath the surface as a dangerous underdog in the mind of one national pundit should they make the NCAA Tournament. 

ESPN's Seth Greenberg waxed poetic about the Panthers following their 81-69 win over Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, stating that they have all the ingredients necessary to pull off a surprise run. 

"They've won 10 of their last 12," Greenberg said. "You're playing against a team (with a) good backcourt, matchup problem, big guy, you don't turn it over, you rebound the ball - if you want to pick a flyer, they're a flyer." 

ESPN’s Seth Greenberg thinks #Pitt can win multiple games in the NCAA Tournament pic.twitter.com/5S6qCCKOcX

— Austin Bechtold (@AustinRBechtold) March 15, 2024

Pitt is no stranger to playing spoiler this time of year as it earned two wins in the Big Dance last year, including one over Iowa State as a No. 11 seed. Now, the Panthers once again have momentum on their seed as they attempt to track down a bid for a second-straight season. 

Greenberg isn't the only expert inundated with support for Pitt as CBS Sports' Jerry Palm moved it into the field in his most recent projections. The Panthers' resume remains a polarizing topic around the country, however, as ESPN's Joe Lunardi placed them among his First Four Out at the end of the day on Thursday. 

Pitt would potentially lock down a spot in the tournament with a win over North Carolina in the semifinals on Friday and could further remove any suspense about its at-large candidacy by earning an auto bid through an ACC Tournament championship. If the Panthers were to lose to the Tar Heels, however, it's anyone's guess as to where they would land on Selection Sunday. 

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