- St. John’s didn’t come close to making it because they weren’t in the “first four outs”
- An abnormal number of ‘bid stealers’ saw the bubble shrink incredibly
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St. John’s NCAA Tournament snobbery was historic, as the Red Storm were the highest-ranked team in the NET (NCAA evaluation tool) to never make The Big Dance at 32nd.
The Red Storm weren’t even close to qualifying either, as Rick Pitino’s team wasn’t among the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament.
“I think we should probably never mention that word (NET) again because I think it’s fraudulent,” Pitino told SNY during Selection Sunday as the Red Storm preemptively declined an NIT offer.
St. John’s appeared to be getting closer to the cut line for the NCAA tournament, with a win over UConn last Friday securing a spot in the field. A five-point loss to the eventual top-seeded Huskies didn’t bring the Red Storm any closer to the NCAA tournament.
Instead, Rick’s son, Richard Pitino, led his New Mexico team to the NCAA tournament with a victory in the Mountain West Conference tournament. NCAA selection committee chairman Charles McClelland called the Lobos “bid stealers” live on air.
Rick Pitino is one of the best college coaches of all time, but didn’t make the tournament
Richard Pitino’s New Mexico team qualified for the NCAA tournament on Saturday
If there had been fewer bid stealers this season, by McClelland’s estimate, five to one or two usually, the younger Pitino might have cost his father’s new team a tournament berth.
“I think we had a good schedule (in) KenPom (rankings),” Pitino told SNY. “We tried to meet a tough schedule, we tried to do things the right way and we couldn’t do it.”
“I never make excuses,” Pitino continued. “I respect the committee for what they do. They give their time to it, they devote their energy to it. They didn’t think we were up to their standards and we will take that very positively, like men, and move forward.
Pitino, 71, has led five other teams to the NCAA tournaments, tied for the record with Tubby Smith and Lon Kruger.
If the Red Storm had landed on the right side of the bubble, the record would belong solely to Pitino.
Thanks to the Lobos’ appearance in the NCAA tournament, the young Pitino has now led a second team to March Madness.
Pitino, 41, made two NCAA tournament appearances as Minnesota’s coach.