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Could Pitt be it this year?

At least two times after Sunday's NCAA tournament selection show I said, "If ever a No. 1 seed was going to lose in the first round, it will be Pitt."
A couple days have passed and I still have an uneasy feeling about the Panthers.
They easily could advance to the Final Four, they could play for the national title and even win it.
Yet, I keep coming back to a basic premise when it comes to Pitt sports.
If given the chance, the Panthers will disappoint you. Anyone enjoy that Sun Bowl game New Year's Eve?
That's why every round in this year's basketball tournament will be a test of nerves watching the Panthers on TV.
For a few years now, we've been told that Pitt has a team that can go a long way in the tournament.
Here's what they've done lately:
2008: 1-1. They lost to Michigan State in the second round.
2007: 2-1. The lost to UCLA in the regional semifinal.
2006: 1-1. The lost to Bradley in the second round.
2005: 0-1. They lost to Pacific in the first round.
2004: 2-1. They lost to Oklahoma State in the regional semifinal.
2003: 2-1. They lost to Marquette in the regional semifinal.
2002: 2-1. They lost to Kent State in the regional semifinal.
Many of those losses should have been wins. The UCLA matchup in 2007 was a tough one, otherwise, the losses were tough to take.
Will this year be any different?
Well, they've been ranked No. 1 on two occasions, so you know they truly have a good team, not one that is hyped up in the Pittsburgh region.
Second, the East Regional isn't intimidating.
But I keep coming back to my theory.
If given the chance ...
Yeah, I hope it's wrong this time around.
Maybe a first-round loss is out of the question. After all, a No. 1 seed hasn't lost in the first round since the field expanded to 64 teams.
After that, however, anything can happen.
That's why it's called March Madness -- and rooting for Pitt can be maddening.



















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