Count St. John's head coach Rick Pitino among those who couldn't believe that the Big East only received three bids to the NCAA tournament, with the Red Storm joining Seton Hall and Providence as notable snubs.
"I believe in getting better not bitter. I totally believe that six teams from the Big East belonged in the field," he wrote on social media Monday. "I know our players, along with Providence, are totally disappointed with the decisions made. But not having Seton Hall at 13-7 in Big East play, with wins over the top teams, is flat out wrong!"
Pitino wasn't alone in his disbelief over the lack of Big East teams in the men's tournament outside of UConn, Marquette and Creighton. Bluejays head coach Greg McDermott was also shocked:
Matt Sottile @MSottileTVCoach McDermott's reaction to three Big East teams (UConn, Marquette, Creighton) making the NCAA Tournament field.<br><br>"It's kind of taken a little of the buzz off ... if you win half your games in the Big East, you should be playing in the postseason." <a href="">@KETV</a> <a href="">#GoJays</a> <a href="">
"Hard to believe," he said of the conference's snubs. "I certainly recognize that the committee's got a difficult job. And the events of the last couple of days, with upsets in conference tournaments, has almost made it unprecedented. But we're the second best league in the country and we have three teams in the top three seed lines, and a [Seton Hall team that went 13-7 in league play] isn't worthy to get in?"
Pundits on social media also decried the NCAA selection committee's perceived oversight:
Dick Vitale @DickieVJust studying the Draw & I think the Selection Committee did not give the RESPECT that the <a href="">@BIGEAST</a> deserved . Just ask anybody that knows basketball & they will tell you about the strength of the conference .<a href="">@SetonHallMBB</a> <a href="">@PCFriarsmbb</a> & <a href="">@StJohnsBBall</a> 🏀🏀🏀
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenielol St. John's nor Providence even among the first four out? I know there were crazy bid stealers plus a strong bubble, but my goodness. <br><br>Big East also got no respect from the committee. I am kinda staggered by this bracket from a seeding and selection perspective.
Dick Weiss @HoopsWeissOMG. The Big East might have been the second best conference in the country with UConn, who could win a second straight national championship. But league only got three bids. March was cruel to St. John's, Seton Hall.
Brad Evans @NoisyHuevosVirginia getting in over several bubblicious Big East teams is downright laughable.
Dan Wetzel @DanWetzelBig East was a lot of fun to watch this season. Bunch of great teams. Brutal Selection Sunday <a href="">
Here were the respective résumés for the three snubs:
- St. John's: 20-13 record, 11-9 in Big East play, 4-10 Quad 1 record.
- Seton Hall: 20-12 record, 13-7 in Big East play, 5-8 Quad 1 record.
- Providence: 21-13 record, 10-10 in Big East play, 6-9 Quad 1 record.
This was not a normal year, as chaos at the conference tournaments shrunk the list of available bids for teams on the bubble.
Saturday saw New Mexico go from being a bubble team to earning an automatic tournament berth by winning the Mountain West tournament. UAB won the American Athletic Conference tournament, giving the conference two tourney berths rather than the expected one (Florida Atlantic also got in). And both NC State (ACC) and Oregon (Pac-12) shocked the country by winning their respective conference tournaments, stealing two more bids. Neither team would have been in the field otherwise.
So the Big East schools and other snubs around the country—including Oklahoma, Indiana State and Pittsburgh—watched as the tournament field shriveled in front of them.
In most years, the Big East likely would have sent at least four teams, with Seton Hall among the selection committee's first four left out.
Nicole Auerbach @NicoleAuerbachFirst four out: Oklahoma, Seton Hall, Indiana State and Pitt.
That's little solace for those schools, however. The Big East very well may end the season on top, as UConn looks poised to potentially win a second straight title, but the sting of only seeing three teams make it to the tournament remains.
