Rick Pitino crushes NET rankings system: ‘I think it’s fraudulent’

Rick Pitino crushes NET rankings system: ‘I think it’s fraudulent’

The 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed Sunday, and there were plenty of shocking, head-scratching developments.

The Mountain West Conference programs–outside of reigning National Title runner-up San Diego State–were under-seeded; Michigan State and Virginia both made the field; Duquense, who snapped a 47-year NCAA Tournament drought, was handed a No. 11 seed after winning the A-10 Tournament Sunday afternoon when teams seeded behind were clearly more deserving of a higher seed.

Another big controversy was the Big East only getting three bids: UConn (top overall seed), Marquette (No. 2) and Creighton (No. 3). Among the teams left out were Seton Hall (First Four Out), St. John’s and Providence.

The selection committee uses myriad factors when deciding who is and is not in the field, including the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET). Well, St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino had some choice words regarding the ranking system Sunday in lieu of learning his team not making the NCAA Tournament.

“I think we all should probably never mention that word (NET) again because I think it’s fraudulent,” Pitino said Sunday in an interview with SNY after hearing St. John’s did not make the field. “My son (New Mexico head coach Richard Pitino) was No. 25 in the NET and he was saying he wasn’t in with 25 wins. I think the NET is something that shouldn’t be mentioned anymore.

“I never make excuses. I respect the committee for what they do. They give their time, they give their energy to it. They didn’t think that we measured up to their standards and we’ll take it very positively like men and move forward. We’re not going to gripe; we’re not going to say we got screwed. None of that helps; bitterness does not help. I’ve had enough bitterness in my life to last a lifetime.”

Rick Pitino calls NCAA's NET rankings system "fraudulent" in explaining why St. John's wasn't selected to the 2024 NCAA Tournament pic.twitter.com/JtFiALEjZc

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 17, 2024

The NET ranking was implemented ahead of the 2018-19 season. It was designed to use more components than the infamous RPI–such as strength of schedule, game location and offensive and defensive efficiency, among others–in hopes of more accurately ranking each Division-I team nationwide.

Indiana State, who finished 28-6 and finished as the Missouri Valley tournament runner-up after winning the regular season title, became the first team Sunday to finish in the top-30 in NET and not make the NCAA Tournament; St. John’s was second on that list at No. 32.

Over the last several weeks, the Red Storm played their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation–moving up 18 spots in the NET in three weeks–after winning seven straight before losing to UConn by five in the Big East Tournament semifinals. But five bid stealers–NC State, Oregon, UAB, Duquense and New Mexico–eliminated any hopes for St. John’s.

Rick Pitino: This season is ‘the most unenjoyable experience’ I’ve had coaching

Even though Pitino said he wasn’t bitter and would “handle it like men,” St. John’s chose not to accept an invitation to the NIT Tournament–where it could have proven to the country and themselves that they were worthy of postseason competition. He’s probably seething, and understandably so … but his previous comments or actions don’t suggest he’s not “bitter.”

St. John's has told the NIT not to invite them to the tournament, per the school.

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) March 17, 2024

Anyway, what do you think about the bracket? Is Pitino right? Let us know in the comments!

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