By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – “Hello A.I. my new friend. I’ve come to chat gpt with you again. Because of visions so creepy, with premonitions gained while I was sleeping. And, the vision that was planted in Naismith’s brain, no longer remains. On my Road to Indianapolis.”
With all this talk about A.I. – I figured it was time to go to the well, and call up A.I. himself. I had a question, and I needed The Answer.
WWYI: “A.I. – what would you like me to call you? Just “A or AI, Mr. I?”
A.I. – “You can call me Allen.”
WWYI: “Oh, okay, I once knew a guy by the name of Allen, and everyone called him “A.I.” or “Bubba Chuck,” or “The Answer.”
A.I. – “I know the guy, but can you stop screwing around and let’s get on with it. What do you want to know?”
WWYI: “Alright already.”
Here we go:
WWYI: “Can you explain the thoughts and logic behind the 2026 NCAA Selection Sunday process and why St. John’s remained at the exact same No. 5 seed that they were on Wednesday morning, even after beating the living daylights out of UConn twice in the same game?”
A.I. – The general reaction to St. John’s receiving a No. 5 seed has been a mix of surprise, frustration from fans and local media, and strategic analysis from bracketologists. Despite winning their second consecutive Big East Championship with a 20-point blowout of UConn, the Red Storm did not see the significant seed jump many expected.
WWYI: “Tell me more, please.”
A.I. – There’s quite a lot to go over. Let’s break it down into different pods of thought and information.
First, the “Disrespect” Theory
Fans and local media have characterized the No. 5 seed as a “disgrace” and “criminal bias,” particularly because St. John’s: Dominated the Big East: They won both the regular-season and conference tournament titles for the second consecutive year.
Beat the Best: They (St John’s) soundly defeated No. 2-seeded UConn twice this season, including a 20-point blowout in the Big East championship.
Rankings Discrepancy: The Red Storm were ranked No. 13 in the final AP Poll, yet were seeded lower than teams like Nebraska and Gonzaga, who they outperformed in several metrics.
The Committee’s Mumbo-Jumbo: Selection committee chairman Keith Gill defended the decision by citing the team’s non-conference performances. Despite their late-season surge (winning 19 of their last 20), their early-season résumé was lacking, including:
Top-Tier Losses: St. John’s went 0-4 against elite non-conference opponents, losing to Iowa State, Alabama, Kentucky, and Auburn.
Quadrant 1 Struggles: They finished with a relatively pedestrian 5-5 record in Quad 1 games. By comparison, teams seeded No. 3 or No. 4 generally had more “depth and quality” in their marquee wins.
Selection Committee’s “Full Body of Work” Argument: The selection committee chair doubled-down, noting that while the win over UConn was “big,” the team’s non-conference schedule lacked the “depth and quality” of teams seeded higher. St. John’s finished just 5-5 in Quadrant 1 games, with losses to Iowa State, Alabama, Kentucky, and Auburn weighing down their resume.
Continuing the “We Got Screwed” Rants: Many analysts and fans felt the No. 5 seed was too low for a team that has won 19 of its last 20 games and features the unanimous Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and Scholar Athlete of the Year, Zuby Ejiofor. Some bracket projections had them as high as a No. 2 or No. 3 seed prior to the reveal.
WWYI: “If we accept all of those explanations and follow that logic, then why did No. 18 ranked Purdue Boilermakers go from the depths of the Top 25 (AP and Coaches Polls) to a #2 seed in the West? While they did win the BIG Ten tournament, they had recent losses to Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Ohio State?”
AI – That does not compute. Re-boot, re-boot, re-boot!
WWYI: “So sorry, I’ll get back to regular questioning. How did St. John’s and coach Rick Pitino react to all of this?”
The P, P&P Theory: Rick Pitino’s Perspective: Pitino’s reaction was a mix of realism and motivation. He admitted that while his staff hoped for a No. 4 seed, he personally expected a No. 5. Rick Pitino’s Pragmatism: Coach Rick Pitino expressed that traveling to San Diego for the first round was “not ideal,” but maintained a focused “deal with it” attitude. He has publicly emphasized that his team has “out of hibernation” and is playing its best basketball at the right time.
Pitino noted he has reached Final Fours before after starting on the West Coast and added, that if they survive the first round, they would likely face Kansas, whose fans would travel “heavy” and would likely “pack the house,” leaving St. John’s with only a “few hundred people” in support.
Nightmare vs. Dream Scenarios: St. John’s must beware as “Danger Lurks,” as The No. 5 vs. No. 12 matchup is a notorious “upset” slot. Facing a tough Northern Iowa team in the first round is seen as a potential trap.
The Opportunity: Some analysts believe St. John’s is actually the “best” No. 5 seed and a nightmare matchup for potential high-seed opponents like Duke or Kansas later in the bracket because of their physical, defensive style.
Strategic Analysis as The Giant Slayer: Interestingly, some analysts—including those from Duke-affiliated forums – view St. John’s as a “nightmare” No. 5 seed.
The Matchup: Because they play a physical, defensive style similar to UConn, they are seen as a team that could potentially upset any higher seed in the Sweet 16.
Don’t you think Pitino will jump on these points to motivate his team?
WWYI: “Wait, who is asking the questions, here.”
The Danger Zone: Conversely, expert “bracketologists” warned of the “upset alert” against Northern Iowa, a senior-led team that shoots well from the perimeter and rarely turns the ball over—the exact profile that often takes down aggressive, pressing teams.
WWYI: “I have an idea. Maybe they should focus one game at a time, instead of looking at the entire region? Keep the focus on:
Northern Iowa No. 12 San Diego, CA Friday, March 20 @ 7:10 PM EDT
A.I. – “It’s amazing how quickly you humans can learn. Can you get me a gig in The White House? Maybe the Department of War? Or, as Speaker of the House? Or, maybe just the Atlanta Hawks’ promotions office?”
Editor’s Note: Apologies to Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel at the top of this missive.