On Sunday night, West Virginia found themselves on the wrong side of the bubble for the 2025 NCAA Tournament field, being officially listed as the first team out of the dance. The Mountaineers were passed up in favor of the North Carolina Tar Heels, who were selected as the last team in.
WVU was projected to make the tournament by every reliable bracketologist and college basketball insider, yet, they were somehow left out.
According to the NCAA Selection Committee Chair Bubba Cunningham, it seems as if injuries were the primary reason the Mountaineers were overlooked.
“The last four teams that were out, it was a tough call. The first team out was West Virginia. They had an outstanding year and unfortunately, knowing Tucker DeVries was hurt…player availability is something that we talk about quite a bit.”
Despite a 19-13 record with big wins over Gonzaga, Arizona, Kansas, and Iowa State, WVU was left on the outside looking in. The Mountaineers finished the season with a 6-10 record against Quad 1 teams, while the Tar Heels went 1-12 against such opponents.
The snub was seen as so appalling even the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference felt entitled to say something about it. On Monday, Brett Yormark released a statement that decried the statement.
“I was surprised and disappointed to see West Virginia not receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament,” Yormark said, via Thamel. “In addition to their six Quad 1 wins, the Mountaineers won 10 conference games in one of the toughest leagues in the country. West Virginia deserved a spot, and fans across the country agree. Coach Devries and his team did an incredible job fighting adversity and winning big games all season. Regardless of this disappointing outcome, I’m incredibly proud of how they represented the Big 12 all season.”
Bid-stealers in other conference tournaments, as well as the committee’s selection of 14 SEC teams left WVU on the outside of the bubble. Although the Mountaineers concluded with six wins over Quad 1 teams and 13 wins over NET Top 100 teams, there was plenty that WVU could’ve done to potentially have been a lock in the NCAA Tournament. Most notably, a loss to Colorado in the Big 12 Tournament, the No.16 team in the conference, likely loomed large in the Selection Committee’s decision to leave them out.
