Sunday, March 10, 2024

Pitt earned a "double bye" in the ACC tournament with the dub tonight, finish 4th*

I'm not sure what a "double bye" is; I think they go directly to the third round of the conference tourney. The NET rankings going in to tonight's game had the "Panthers" 43rd (out of 362 D1 teams). NC State was 83rd. This win qualifies, barely, as a "Quad 1" win. It won't push Pitt much higher.* ESPN's bracketologist had the "Panthers" third in "Next Four Out", which means Pitt would have to jump seven teams to get the last spot in "Last Four In". That doesn't sound at all likely or even reasonable to expect. But ESPN's guy for weeks has had the top four ACC teams in the tournament. Pitt has now clinched 4th. Their resume is 21-10, top four in a top conference with the top four always projected to be in the Big Dance. So, on the other hand, how do you keep them out? With a double-bye, if it is what I think it is, Pitt will have at least one more chance to improve its NET. Objectively, I don't think that should be necessary, ACC top four should do it unless they lop off one of the four teams and only award the conference three. That seems punitive, like a Pitt exclusionary rule, but a 43 NET is tenuous, at best.

*In the event, Pitt FELL one spot with its win last night. They are now a NET 44.