The general public knew better than the selection committee.
And everyone suffered.
Virginia validated all the criticism levied against the selection committee for its tournament inclusion with its pathetic, embarrassing, humiliating — pretty much any negative adjective applies here — performance in a 67-42 loss to Colorado State in the First Four on Tuesday night.
The Cavaliers produced such a horrendous product Tuesday night that even CBS’ Wally Szczerbiak — who works for the network airing the tournament — ripped the committee.
“This performance matters by Virginia. Mountain West completely blew them off the floor. Mountain West, we’ve been saying, has been completely under-seeded, and the way you perform in this tournament, it puts the committee on notice,” Szczerbiak said. “They made a mistake putting Virginia into the NCAA Tournament. Every bracketologist was saying it, they go out and perform like this.
“It’s unwatchable basketball, the way they played today, on national TV.”
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This year’s selection committee has routinely been criticized by fans and pundits alike for this year’s bracket which featured some questionable selections.
The ‘Hoos had poor metrics — they now rank 73rd on KenPom — and lacked notable wins, but they still landed a No.10 seed, while other teams such as Indiana State, Pitt, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Providence missed the cut.
Virginia players are dejected during the loss to Colorado State. Getty Images Many fans focused on Virginia to highlight their problems with this bracket, and Tuesday provided a chance for the Cavaliers to show they belong.
Instead, they scored 14 points in the first half.
Yes, 14 points. Against the team that finished tied for sixth in the Mountain West.
Szczerbiak said the spurned Big East teams should be incensed after watching Virginia, and it seemed they were with St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins tweeting it was “really crazy” in response to Knicks wing Josh Hart commenting on how Virginia earned a bid over the Big East teams.
Wally Szczerbiak ripped Virginia and the selection committee after its loss to Colorado State. @CBSSportsCBB/X “St. John’s is sitting there like, ‘We won six of seven, we’re scoring 90 points per game, playing great basketball down the stretch in the Big East. Seton Hall beat Marquette and UConn,” Szczerbiak said after Colorado State advanced to face Texas. “They’re sitting at home or in the NIT. They should be in this NCAA Tournament. (Pittsburgh) should be in this NCAA Tournament.
“The committee made a big mistake by putting this team in this tournament this year, and it’s nothing against Tony Bennett, he’s a national championship-winning coach, but his team did not belong on this floor with Colorado State.”
