Hate to burst your bubble.
Quite a few bubble teams who were expected to land a spot in the men's 2024 NCAA Tournament on Sunday instead were left on the outside looking in.
Unexpected titles placed teams like Oregon, North Carolina State and even Duquesne, none of whom were projected to make the field, into the field of 68 via the automatic bid that goes to conference champions. The teams they beat gobbled up a handful of the 34 at-large bids, thus shrinking the number of spots available to teams on the so-called bubble.
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“It was one of the most difficult that I've been involved in,” said Charles McClelland, the chairman of the selection committee. “And I talked to some of the staff that's been in that room for the last 20 years, and they said this is probably the most difficult selection process that they've been a part of.”
That process denied entry to Oklahoma, Seton Hall, Indiana State and Pittsburgh -- the first four teams out of the tournament.
“Under normal circumstances, with those additional bids, they would've been in,” McClelland said specifically of Indiana State.
That certainly puts the mad in March Madness for players, coaches and fans of those teams denied an opportunity to compete in the tournament that determines the national champion. Particularly those from the Big East, which had three 20-plus win teams fail to qualify.
NCAAB
Here are some of the top snubs from the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma (20-12)
The first team out seemed to be reaching full strength just in time for the tournament. The team started the season 18-6 before injuries set in. The Sooners did not suffer a loss outside of Quadrant 1 but only had two wins against teams that made the tournament.
Seton Hall (20-12)
A win over defending champion and 2024 favorite UConn wasn't enough to get Seton Hall into the dance. The Pirates, not St. John's, were among the first four out of the tournament after defeating the Red Storm twice during the season. Their loss to St. John's in the Big East tournament cost them.
Indiana State (28-6)
The Sycamores had the No. 29 NET ranking but couldn't crack the 68-team field. Since the NET ranking was adopted by NCAA in 2018, all teams with a top-30 NET qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
St. John's (20-13)
Ever since Rick Pinto's late-season rant, St. John's seemed destined for a spot in the bracket. They won five straight games and had a strong showing in the Big East tournament before falling 95-90 in the semifinals to UConn. The Red Storm was ranked No. 32 in NET and, as Pitino himself was quick to point out Sunday, No. 24 in Basketball Power Index, which was the best of all teams that did not make the tournament.
Pittsburgh (22-11)
Pittsburgh started slow and finished strong. The team won 12 of its last 16 games, including an upset victory over Duke, and advanced to the ACC Tournament semifinals. That, plus a No. 40 NET ranking, wasn't enough to punch their ticket.
Providence (21-13)
Providence's performance in the Big East tournament resembled that of the team that started the season 11-2. The Friars struggled late in the season but finished with a conference-high six victories against Quadrant 1 teams and advanced to the Big East semifinals. But only three teams from the Big East reached the NCAA Tournament, the conference's fewest since 1993, and Providence wasn't one of them.
The Associated Press contributed to this story