If ever there was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA?tournament with something to prove, it’s Pittsburgh.
Sure, the Panthers are tops in the Southeast Region, earning the right to throttle North Carolina-Asheville or Arkansas-Little Rock in the round of 64.
But that doesn’t mean Pitt hasn’t had its doubters.
The Panthers rank 10th on RealTimeRPI.com (behind teams like San Diego State, BYU and North Carolina), have the worst win-it-all futures odds?of this year’s top seeds (8-1) and nearly lost their grip on a No. 1 with an opening loss in the Big East tourney.
There is, of course, a bright side.
Though?No. 2 Florida is a toughie, Pitt drew a relatively easy No. 3 in new-look BYU.
Do the Panthers have enough? We’ll find out.
Inside the bracket
» Best matchup
Butler vs. Old Dominion. Two surprisingly strong teams?(ODU’s RPI is 20;
Butler is 34) that play tough, smart ball.
» Most vulnerable
BYU. The Cougars are a completely different team in the wake of Brandon Davies’ Honor Code-based suspension. Even Jimmer can’t save this bunch from an early exit.
»The pick: Florida
Too many people slept on the SEC this year. The Gators are solid, and won 10 of 11 before Sunday’s defeat.
