First-year St. John's coach Rick Pitino told the NIT selection committee that the team didn't want to play in the also-ran event. Oklahoma and Pitt also said they didn't want to take part.

Dreams die hard, particularly in March.

The Big East found that out Sunday as three 20-win teams – Providence, Seton Hall and St. John’s – were all snubbed by the NCAA selection committee.

St. John’s arguably had the biggest gripe of the three. It finished 20-13 overall, winning six games in a row – four of them by at least 14 points – before a loss to overall No. 1 seed UConn in the Big East semifinals on Friday.

  • @RedWeaselEnglish
    2•7 months ago

    “Conference tournament games barely factor into NCAA bids”

    I definitely agree. If it did matter the Big Ten wouldn’t finish up their championship game about a half hour before it is announced. If Michigan went on a run in the Big Ten Tourney and played in the Championship game, it wouldn’t make that much difference unless the won it and the committee can just have 2 versions for that situation for instance.