Pitt head coach Jeff Capel and North Carolina State head coach Kevin Keatts believe the Panthers are an NCAA Tournament team. And they’re not alone.
Former Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim isn’t exactly well-regarded by Pitt fans, considering all that went down during his decades-long tenure at ‘Cuse, but he doesn’t see how the Panthers can be left out of March Madness this season.
“Pittsburgh finished fourth in our league,” Boeheim said Tuesday on the ACC Network. “They have seven road wins. That’s an NCAA tournament team. Always has been. And should be.”
Pitt did finish fourth in the ACC in the regular season. With an 81-73 win over North Carolina State to conclude the regular reason, the Panthers sit at 21-10 (12-8 ACC). North Carolina, Duke and Virginia are the only schools with more conference wins this season. And with the ACC Tournament approaching, the Panthers have a couple more opportunities to rack up big-time conference wins.
Pitt will certainly need a couple more wins. The Panthers are 44th in the all-important NET ratings as of Tuesday night — with a 2-6 record against Quad 1 teams, a 5-2 record against Quad 2 teams, a 7-2 record against Quad 3 teams and a 7-0 record against Quad 4 teams.
The resume is weighed down, according to analysts, by a weak non-conference schedule. There have been a couple of bad losses, which came last year, and Pitt has definitely not played up to its standard all season. But it’s hard to find a team that has improved more throughout the season than the Panthers.
Bracketologists currently have Pitt on the outside looking in. As it stands, before the ACC Tournament has tipped off, the majority of analysts have Pitt in the Next Four Out category. The Panthers are firmly in the mix, but there are likely five or six teams just ahead of the Panthers.
A couple of wins in the ACC Tournament could fix that, and star — and All-ACC first teamer — Blake Hinson has the Panthers ready for what’s to come on the schedule.
“I ain’t got nothing because they know what to do,” Hinson said Tuesday. “It’s March, and that’s what I’ve been telling them since March started, it’s March. There should be no motivating speeches. There should be no, ‘Oh, I didn’t know,’ or, ‘I forgot the play.’ We’ve been playing all year. It’s March. It’s time for your best to come out.”
Pitt earned a double bye as the four seed in this week’s ACC Tournament. The Panthers return to action Thursday, March 14 (2:30 p.m.) against the winner of Wednesday’s second round game between Wake Forest and either Notre Dame or Georgia Tech.
A shill for the ACC Network that doesn’t have a committee vote……….yawn
Why does Oklahoma, Mississippi St, Villanova, St. John’s and New Mexico deserve bids and not Pitt? Save me the math matrix BS. Give your common sense and eye test basis for it. I have watched each of these teams. I have looked at their resumes and they are WORSE than Pitt’s. So before you belittle me or call me dumb, give me a real take on it. I would love to hear your real thoughts.
Why do you insist on engaging me? I have absolutely no interest in interfacing with you. Seriously. Learn to scroll by my opinions- you’ll be happier
I get it. It is because you can not have an intelligent conversation about the topic. You just spew nonsense.
So if soneone agrees with you, you will “interface” with them. Theres some solid corporate jargon. Someone asking you a genuine question and you’re reply, just scroll by my comment, you’ll be happier. Man you’re a petulant whiny baby.
And yet you couldn’t even heed your own advice considering you actually “interfaced” with them. Baby and a hypocrite.
You may think the journalists here are slanted, they probably are, but they do appreciate all your clicks. Helps them with advertising dollars and all
Why would you assume there is any obligation on my part to defend opinions? Or to interface with anyone that chooses to engage me? As for “following my advice” it was a simple message to let the responder know I had no interest in any discussions. “Petulant” lol. OK. Enjoy your day…….
Then, why even say anything?
Don’t engage with an idiot, he’ll drag you down to his level and win with experience (Mark Twain).
Could it be acknowledged that Keatts and Boeheim are not impartial in their assessments?
I give credit to Hinson for stating, “…they (selection committee) know what to do.”.
That would entail a modicum of objectivity- complete anathema to the “journalists” on this page
I wrote my comment, before I read yours.
I’m anticipating some epic pearl clutching on this board on Sunday- we’ll see
I hope that Pitt dig themselves out of the ditch, that they dug, leaving the Committee’s decision moot.
Otherwise, I don’t think “pearl-clutching” will be the proper descriptor…
…Gnashing of Teeth, Rending of Robes, Shaving of Heads and Prostrating Themselves…
RaDICK everything you said or predicted over the last 2 years has been wrong ! It’s safe to say …..You don’t know shit ! ……….Get out of the basement loser
Out of everyone I’ve sparred with on this board, you are the only one without a single coherent or worthwhile point. Truly a clown…..
What a miserable loser you are.
Let me take that last comment back- you make two, you douche canoe……
Sorry, I got Hinson’s comment wrong. He was referring to his teammates, not the committee.
We hear all the time from the committee chair about how a team is playing down the stretch and their last 10 or 15 games. Find me a team that has had a better stretch over the past 10-15 games than Pitt. TCU lost at home in the last game of the season to a 16-14 UCF team but they are firmly in according to the “experts”
Again, I say, I smell a rat. Earlier this year Scott Barnes, AD Oregon State and former Pitt AD (he of the Kevin Stalling hire).was added to the selection committee. OSU of the PAC 2 will be joining the West Coast Conference next year. All of a sudden Ludardi begins extolling the virtues of the WCC (six teams to the dance). Think someone’s been whispering sweet nothings into his ear? Hope the selection committee decides they don’t need SB.
Thanks Jim for stating the obvious that Pitt has performed like a definite tournament team. You might have picked Pitt to beat Wake after all the nice comments about Pitt. Unfortunately you chose Wake to beat Pitt. The Panthers took care of business & are on a roll! Thanks to Jeff Capel & Staff for grinding after a slow start to the season with 3 new players in the starting lineup. Go PITT 🏀!!!