Three Bubble Team Losses Help Pitt's NCAA Tournament Chances

The Pitt Panthers got some important help on the NCAA Tournament bubble.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The most important development for the Pitt Panthers on Thursday was their win over Wake Forest in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, which made their NCAA Tournament aspirations all the more tangible while knocking the Demon Deacons out of contention. Nearly as pertinent, however, were how other bubble teams around the nation fared with mere days remaining before Selection Sunday. 

The most significant outcome of the late window on Thursday in relation to the Panthers came in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals as Kansas State fell 76-59 to Iowa State. The Wildcats earned a Quad 1 win over Texas in the second round that served as a major boon to their resume, but their loss to the Cyclones dropped them into the Next Four Out of ESPN's Joe Lunardi's latest projections with a minute chance of going dancing. 

Texas A&M made Pitt's path a bit more difficult with an 80-71 victory over Ole Miss in the second round of the SEC Tournament. The Aggies moved into the field as one of the Last Four In according to Lunardi and sit two spots ahead of the Panthers overall. They are set to face Kentucky in the quarterfinals on Friday at 7:00 p.m.

Providence also muddied the waters around the bubble with a massive 78-73 Quad 1 win over Creighton in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament. The Friars now sit a spot behind Pitt in Lunardi's First Four Out with another massive opportunity looming against Marquette on Friday at 8:00 p.m.

Virginia edged out Boston College in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament with a 66-60 victory in overtime. The Cavaliers remain as one of Lunardi's Last Four In and a tier ahead of the Panthers while the potential exists for the two programs to face one another in the conference title game. 

Cincinnati couldn't build off of its two prior Big 12 Tournament wins as its run ended in a 68-56 loss to Baylor. The Bearcats found themselves in Lunardi's Next Four Out before their game went final but are now likely to fall off the bubble as its at-large hopes evaporate. 

After narrowly escaping DePaul on Wednesday, Villanova dropped a 60-58 heartbreaker to Marquette in overtime of the Big East quarterfinals. Lunardi arranged the Wildcats within the Next Four Out in his latest projections, meaning they are now a longshot to hear their names called on Selection Sunday.

Colorado and Utah faced off in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals in what could reasonably be described as an elimination game. The Buffaloes ultimately prevailed 72-58, effectively ending the Utes' tourney chase. Colorado, who Lunardi has among his Last Four In, now inches closer to finalizing an at-large bid of a meeting with Washington State at 10:30 p.m. on Friday while harming Pitt's chances in the process. 

Fresh off of a redemptory win over Air Force, New Mexico had a chance to push itself into the field with a Quad 1 victory over Boise State. It did just that, defeating the Broncos 76-66 to move on to the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament against Colorado State. The Lobos were placed a spot ahead of the Panthers among the First Four Out by Lunardi, but they stand a strong chance at moving up in the near future.  

The Panthers currently sit as the third team out of the field within Lunardi's First Four Out heading into Friday's bout with North Carolina in the ACC semifinals. A loss wouldn't necessarily mean Pitt's case for entry into the NCAA Tournament is dead on arrival, but they'd likely be fighting an uphill battle in the eyes of the selection committee. 

In the case of a win, however, the Panthers would all but guarantee themselves a spot in the field in consecutive seasons for the first time in a decade. The stakes couldn't be higher, but that's what makes this time of year so special. 

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