NEW YORK, NY – In the world of college basketball, dreams are often shattered in March as the NCAA tournament selection committee makes tough decisions on who gets invited to the dance.
This year, the Big East conference felt the sting of disappointment as three 20-win teams, Providence, Seton Hall, and St. John’s, were left out of the tournament bracket. St. John’s particularly had a strong case for inclusion, with a 20-13 record and a recent streak of impressive wins.
Despite a solid overall performance and respectable rankings in various metrics, including the Basketball Power Index (BPI) and the NET ranking, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino expressed disappointment but also acceptance of the committee’s decision. The team ultimately declined an invitation to the NIT tournament, opting instead to focus on preparing for the next season.
Meanwhile, Providence, led by coach Kim English in his first season with the team, also fell short of a tournament bid despite a 21-13 record. English criticized the reliance on analytics in the selection process, highlighting the challenges faced by teams playing in a competitive conference like the Big East.
The dominance of certain teams within the Big East, such as Marquette and Creighton, who received favorable seeds in the NCAA tournament, raised questions and frustrations among coaches like Pitino and UConn’s Dan Hurley. The committee’s decisions left some teams, like Oklahoma, Indiana State, Seton Hall, and Pittsburgh, on the outside looking in.
Overall, the selection process highlighted the complexities and uncertainties of college basketball, where success on the court does not always guarantee a spot in the postseason. As teams like St. John’s and Providence reflect on what could have been, the focus now shifts to the future and the opportunities that lie ahead in the next season.