Sounds incredulous, but this is what Rick Pitino is saying in stark contrast to the supposed experts Digger Phelps and Billy Packer.
"Pitino agrees that the Bears had a legitimate beef that only has been strengthened by the runs by fellow Missouri Valley Conference members Bradley and Wichita State in the NCAA Tournament.
Yesterday a reporter asked Pitino how Missouri State might fare in the Big East.
"You're not serious are you?" Pitino said. "Are you watching Bradley and Wichita State? They might have been able to win it. They're not Connecticut or Villanova, but who is in the country? They could easily have finished third in the Big East. ???‚¬?¦ You look at how things played out, and this is certainly a team that should have been in the NCAA. So we're going to have to beat a great team to get to New York, but that's how it should be."
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060322/SPORTS02/603220417
"Pitino agrees that the Bears had a legitimate beef that only has been strengthened by the runs by fellow Missouri Valley Conference members Bradley and Wichita State in the NCAA Tournament.
Yesterday a reporter asked Pitino how Missouri State might fare in the Big East.
"You're not serious are you?" Pitino said. "Are you watching Bradley and Wichita State? They might have been able to win it. They're not Connecticut or Villanova, but who is in the country? They could easily have finished third in the Big East. ???‚¬?¦ You look at how things played out, and this is certainly a team that should have been in the NCAA. So we're going to have to beat a great team to get to New York, but that's how it should be."
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060322/SPORTS02/603220417