WVU sports had an incredible weekend. The rifle team won its 20th national championship, and Ceili McCabe took first in the women’s 3,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships. After two national titles, Selection Sunday for the men’s and women’s basketball teams seemed like the perfect way to end the weekend. Read more: WVU Sports: Why Can’t We Have Nice Things
The Lady Mountaineers made the NCAA tournament, but the men’s team was shockingly left out. Now that the dust has settled, let’s hope this fanbase channels its energy into fully supporting the women’s program as they head to Chapel Hill this weekend.
Let’s be clear—this weekend should have ended with a men’s tournament bid. All 111 credible bracketologists had the Mountaineers in, yet they were left out. This marks the first time in history a team projected by every expert was excluded from the field.
Related: Where West Virginia Basketball Went Wrong
The NCAA’s decision-making process continues to be a joke. Whether it’s conference realignment, NIL chaos, or the transfer portal, the organization constantly undercuts itself. This brings us to Bubba Cunningham—head of the NCAA selection committee and, conveniently, the athletic director of UNC, the last team selected. His explanation?
“The last four teams that were out, it was a tough call. The first team out was West Virginia,” Cunningham told CBS. “They had an outstanding year, and unfortunately, knowing Tucker DeVries was hurt … Player availability is something that we talk about quite a bit.”
That logic is flawed. Tucker DeVries has been out since December and only played eight games. If player availability was truly a deciding factor, the committee had plenty of time to consider it before Selection Sunday.
FLAWED LOGIC
Debating WVU’s tournament resume is pointless—the committee had other priorities. Leaving out both WVU and Indiana in favor of UNC, a team that didn’t belong, shows a lack of transparency. And no, UNC’s win over a Duke team missing Cooper Flagg doesn’t justify the decision. The Tar Heels put themselves in a bad position, and rewarding quality losses is absurd.
Most surprising was how every bracket projection had WVU firmly in the tournament despite late-season struggles. The Mountaineers had flaws, but compared to other bubble teams, they were more than worthy. Overcoming injuries and still competing at a high level should have strengthened their case, not weakened it.
Unfortunately, this controversy has unleashed the worst of the WVU fanbase, from complaints about officiating to absurd comparisons to past tournament snubs. Even the governor of West Virginia has threatened legal action over UNC’s inclusion. This is the exact distraction WVU athletics doesn’t need as other programs surge forward.
never thought i would hear a state governor talking ball like this 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/WMlmN4uRke
— Ethan Bock (@ethanbock_) March 17, 2025
After declining invitations to both the NIT and the Crown Tournament, rumors swirl about Coach DeVries potentially taking the Iowa job. He’s already lost standout freshman Jonathan Powell to the transfer portal. In response, athletic director Wren Baker has reportedly offered DeVries an extension, hoping to stabilize a program that has seen three coaches in three seasons.
Mountaineer fans are a resilient bunch, and there’s reason to trust the overall direction of WVU athletics. While men’s basketball and football go through rebuilding phases, let’s celebrate the successes of other programs. Most importantly, let’s rally around the women’s basketball team as they embark on their NCAA tournament run.
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