Pittsburgh tops Syracuse in possible win-and-in NCAA matchup
The second round of the ACC Tournament produced a matchup between old Big East rivals in Pittsburgh and Syracuse on Wednesday that many believed would be an NCAA Tournament eliminator.
Cameron Johnson scored a career-high 24 points off the bench as the Panthers built a 14-point lead, only to watch it evaporate down the stretch.
[...] a series of critical plays by James Robinson down the stretch were enough to allow coach Jamie Dixon's team to escape with a 72-71 victory.
[...] the Orange (19-13) have already begun their campaign for an at-large bid.
Sticking in the Pac-12, the Buffaloes (22-10) likely locked up their spot in the NCAA dance merely by avoiding an upset by Washington State in the conference tournament Wednesday.
The Seminoles (19-13) lost to fellow bubble team Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament's second round, and that 8-10 conference record could come back to haunt them on Sunday.
The Tigers (17-14) blew an 18-point lead and lost to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament, a meltdown that mirrored their season.
The Red Raiders (19-12) lost to TCU, which won just twice in the Big 12 this season, in the opening round of the conference tournament.