Pitt Basketball Makes Tournament in ESPN's First Bracketology

The Pitt Panthers make it in the first ESPN Bracketology for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Mar 2, 2024; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel reacts to / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers missed out on the NCAA Tournament last season, but they received a favorable placement in the way-to-early Bracketology forecast for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Joe Lunardi, ESPN's bracketologist, put Pitt in the top spot in the last four byes to make the NCAA Tournament next season. Other teams that join them in the category include New Mexico, Seton Hall, and South Carolina.

He also gave Pitt a No. 10 seed, putting them in a First Round matchup against No. 7 Dayton, the automatic qualifier from the Atlantic-10 in Milwaukee. The winner would face either No. 2 Iowa State or No. 15 Quinnipiac, the automatic qualifier from the MAAC in the Second Round.

Lunardi also predicted seven ACC teams to make it, up from the five teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament this past season.

This includes the No. 1 overall seed Duke, who brings in the best recruiting class and the top recruit in forward Cooper Flagg. It also features No. 2 North Carolina, No. 5 Miami, No. 8 Wake Forest, No. 9 NC State, and No. 11 Clemson, who are in the play-in game with No. 11 Providence in Dayton, Ohio. Virginia, who made it into the Last Four In for this past NCAA Tournament, Lunardi placed in the First Four Out.

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.

The Panthers lose All-ACC First Team forward Blake Hinson to graduation and All-Rookie Team/All-ACC Honorable Mention guard Carlton "Bub" Carrington Jr. 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 Jaland Lowe, who excelled in a freshman year, for the Panthers' backcourt. 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.

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

• Pitt's Starting LB Enters Transfer Portal
• Pitt QB Enters Transfer Portal
• What Cam Corhen Brings to Pitt
• Pitt Basketball Loses Transfer Target to Butler
• Former Pitt All-American Re-Signs With Bengals

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt