We have yet another example of how computers and overrated data become more important than the simple eye test.
In the big picture, I realize that this means very little. But the fact that Jeff Capel’s team isn’t ranked in today’s AP Top 25 is completely ridiculous.
I’d like to know the last time that the first-place team in the ACC in February wasn’t a ranked team?
Pitt is currently 18-7 overall and 11-3 in the ACC. It has a road record of 7-2, is 4-2 in Quad One games, and is 12-3 in its last 15 games but that’s not worthy of a being ranked. LOL.
Not to mention that the Panthers have head-to-head wins over Virginia, Miami and NC State, who are currently ranked No. 7, No. 15 and No. 23 respectively.
Want to know why Pitt isn’t ranked and getting any national respect? Because the people that vote on this pay too much attention to the all-important NET rankings and where teams stack up in the KenPom rankings.
Instead of paying attention to what’s going on, actually watching games, looking at results, it’s easier to form an opinion and cast a vote after where you see a computer has teams slotted.
KenPom currently ranks Pitt as No. 58, while the NET rankings list the Panthers at No. 51.
Maybe it’s a product of me getting older, but I don’t care about all the different metrics they use to come up with these rankings like margin of victory, offensive and defensive efficiency, blah blah blah. I look at a team’s record, who they’ve beaten head-to-head and conference you play in. Those are the most important factors to me; you can have all the rest of that nonsense.
Here’s just one of many examples that I can list: In KenPom, Pitt is ranked No. 51 but North Carolina is No. 32, despite the fact that Pitt has beaten them twice and Pitt has three more conference wins than the Tar Heels.
I don’t care what a computer says, Pitt is better than North Carolina. I’ve watched Pitt beat them twice on the court this season.
I realize they’ve lost to Michigan, Vanderbilt and West Virginia but no one is undefeated, and West Virginia isn’t a bad loss, considering they’re the darlings of the computer rankings, despite having a 4-8 conference record.
Anyone that has watched Jeff Capel’s team over the last month can easily see that this is a good team and has all the parts to make a possible run in March. However, the AP voters continue to ignore one of the best team stories in college basketball and keep their narrow focus on ‘dominating Big 12 Conference’ or other storylines the national media have been talking about since the start of the season.
Earlier I mentioned not being ranked means very little. I take that back; it actually does and here’s why.
As we continue to see every Selection Sunday, where teams finish in these computer driven rankings many times are a precursor to where they get ranked in the NCAA Tournament.
If the Panthers continue to win, they’ll be one of the teams in the Field of 68 regardless of where the computers have them, however, they might be a lot lower than what they really should be.
In my estimation, Pitt should currently be ranked somewhere between No. 15 and No. 20 and a No. 4 or No. 5 seed in March Madness. But, with not being ranked and only in the 50’s with KenPom and the NET rankings, all of the national bracketologists have Pitt has a No. 8 or No. 9. That’s a tough draw because if they win their first game, they’d take on a No. 1 seed next.
The other reason it matters is national perception, especially when it comes to recruiting. When recruiting kids and trying to get kids to make season-ending visits, I’m sure it’s a lot easier to get kids interested when you’re trying to sell them a team that’s nationally ranked. That matters and has an impact in recruiting.
It’s time the national voters start to actually pay attention to what’s going on at Pitt, forget what the computers are saying and give them the credit they deserve. That would start by recognizing them as one of the 25 best teams in college basketball.
We have Scott Barnes to thank for Pitt’s low esteem. He took a team nationally ranked and gave it to that disaster, Stallings. Expect the ACC believed the preseason expectations of a 14th place finish and front loaded the “tougher” teams on our schedule. Still have to win. One loss and the “experts” will say “I told you so. “
I like your thinking but #4 or 5 seed seems high to me at this point. If they win out from here and win at least 2 games in the ACC tourney (which would put us in the finals), then I possibly could see that high of a seed. But, the bad thing is that the pollsters aren’t going to magically start to love us and take us from unranked to #15 by end of season. To me, the only way that happens is if we win out and the teams currently in the 10-20 ranks lose 2 or more… Read more »
if we go 4 of 6 the rest of the way I will personally be happy. I dont know what that means for the NET rankings, or seeding, but 4 of 6 seems difficult in itself. Miami will be seeking revenge on their own court, VT at VT is going to be tough, Syracuse is always tough. The rest are traps – those teams have to win eventually.
Joe DiNardi was on Anything but Net the other day. He estimates the best PITT can do is 7 or 6 in seeding. PITT has to keep playing 1-0. The rest will take care of itself. Just beat the next team up and don’t sweat the ratings.
I think their realistic ceiling is a 6 seed, unless they finish as TJ mentioned. That’s going to be tough, but not impossible. You forgot to mention, that Northwestern, deservedly so knocking off Purdue, is getting a lot of recognition. Pitt beat them, at N’Western. If you look at Bracketology, a lot of ppl still have Wisc. in, but don’t consider Charleston a bubble team if they don’t win their tourney. Wisc is lower in NET and two spots higher in KenPom. I’d rather have a team like Charleston, who also has 24 wins in even if they don’t win… Read more »
The ACC was a is a traditional conference whose reputation via based on the success of North Carolina, Duke and Virginia. Coach Capel is right to insist on focusing on the road ahead, because the journey is not over until we reach the finish line. Like our football team, they will earn the respect that they deserve by doing so. I feel that the players are confident that they will not lose focus and that makes me believe that they will win the championship.
I say it’s fine; let the team adopt that “nobody believes in us” “us the against the world” mentality and play with a chip on their shoulders.
If Pitt wins the ACC regular season title, I see no way that they are less than a 6 seed. That is still an uphill battle, but I put nothing past this Pitt team.
At some point common sense will prevail over computer rankings.
When 8/9 seed Pitt faces a 1 seed and beats them they get the easy bracket the rest the way. All good. Respect will take time the ACC blue blood network wont ever give it away. H2P!