The NCAA Tournament bubble did not pop for St. John’s as it was never really there in the first place. Despite a late-season surge with six consecutive wins and a strong showing in the Big East Tournament, St. John’s did not even make the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament. The disappointment was palpable as head coach Rick Pitino expressed his desire to take away the pain felt by his players. The team’s NET ranking of No. 32 did not secure them a spot in the tournament, as other teams secured automatic bids, pushing St. John’s completely off the bubble.
Pitino expressed his frustration with the NET ranking system, calling it “fraudulent” and emphasized the team’s strength of schedule. The last four teams to make it into the tournament were Virginia, Colorado State, Boise State, and Colorado, while the first four teams left out included Oklahoma, Seton Hall, Indiana State, and Pittsburgh. St. John’s, aiming for their first tournament appearance since 2019, will not participate in the NIT and will focus on recruiting new players for the upcoming season.
The madness of the conference tournaments saw several upsets, with unexpected teams securing automatic bids. Pitino acknowledged the efforts of the selection committee and expressed disappointment in not making it to the tournament. Despite the setback, Pitino remains optimistic and looks ahead to the future. The disappointment of missing out on the tournament was felt deeply by the team, but Pitino emphasized the importance of moving forward and not dwelling on bitterness.
