Big Lead Sports Bar

2/21/2011

Pitt Sits 4th, 6th in Polls After St. John's Loss



On the heels of their last-second loss at St. John's on Saturday, the Pitt Panthers fell from 4th to 6th in today's ESPN Coaches Poll, while staying put at #4 in the AP Poll.

Despite road wins over Villanova, West Virginia and Georgetown, home wins over Connecticut and Syracuse, and a neutral court win over Texas, the Panthers rank behind teams such as San Diego State (4), the very Texas team they beat (5), and new #1 Duke, blown out by St. John's earlier this season. Then again, we know how the polls work: Duke was #5 last week, they were the only team to go undefeated in the top five this week, so they are subsequently now viewed as the best team in the country. OK, if you say so. 

In other Top-25 notes, St. John's enters the AP (23) and the ESPN/USA (25) following their latest takedown of a college hoops Goliath on Saturday. The conference they call home, the Big East, featured seven of the top 17  and eight of the top 25 squads in the AP poll, as well as eight of the top 25 in the ESPN/USA rankings.

As for the Panthers, they're off until a Thursday night rematch with the WVU Mountaineers, the first of four games remaining on a slate that currently includes two teams (Louisville, Villanova) in the top 25. The Mountaineers (17-9, 8-6) dropped a 71-66 meeting with Pitt earlier this season but are coming off a 72-58 thumping of Notre Dame in their last outing.

For the full rankings, click here.

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