In his press conference for Monday, Patrick Morrisey, vice governor of West Virginia right after the Mountaineers had been eliminated from the March Madness Bracket by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, he made clear his displeasure. He stated, “West Virginia deserves to be in the NCAA Tournament” and criticized the Selection Committee for misrepresenting the athletes’ case. Morrisey emphasized that this was a significant miscarriage of justice and a cover-up at the highest level, calling it an antiquatedANCE of sportsşe. He also announced his intention to conduct an investigation with West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey to examine the issue.
The Mountaineers, who were a significant fringe team in the big eight conference, faced numerous challenges during the 2024 season. Despite strong resume, the team made only 19 wins and 13 losses in the 2024-2025 Regular Season. However, their performance in conference play, which saw them achieve 10-10 in the Big 12 and 10-3 overall, was a key factor in their failure to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Despite this, the Mountaineers have a strong record in the Big 12, outpacing even some teams that were struggling to make the tournament.
The Selection Committee, which was known to an Autumnal full of emails and memos, failed to recognize that West Virginia may have had a legitimate case. They were likely not aware of the depth and strength of the Mountaineers’ athletes, their number of intradivisional conference wins, and their early season performance. For optionally eligible teams, such as West Virginia, they were not prevented from competing if they were ranked high enough and had a strong record. However, the Selection Committee, operating out of a system that prioritized whom it felt capable of selecting and punishment was, possibly, not college, decided based on basketball records.
West Virginia’s coach, Darian DeVries, communicated deeply about the team’s inability to make it to the NCAA Tournament. He said, “Obviously, we are extremely shocked, saddened, and disappointed with not being selected.” He expressed deep pride in the team’s accomplishments, lovingly noting that they were the best team we’ve seen this season. DeVries even mentioned that the coach wouldn’t do “anything to presssing” the Mountaineers into the brackets, likely referring to the 2021 NCAA Tournament as the case closed.
Bubba Cunningham, newfound chair of the Selection Committee, explained that the process was cumbersome. He provided an example of North Carolina, a team that had made it to the NCAA Tournament, but Countdown Round. “We made a contingency vote for them, allowing them to finish in the field while_canceling further participation,” Cunningham explained. However, Cunningham has also acknowledged that the process seems forced. He acknowledged that it’s unfair to some teams and that it’s deeply frustrating.
Thecontingency vote in the field was conducted on Tuesday, November 14, 2024. The selection committee initially voted four teams from the field. If eitherMemphis or the tied game of Memphis vs. Alabama finished on that night, the game would have priority, and the spot in the big eight tournament would be unavailable for the other teams. They had chosen to keep the spot open to accommodate eight fields based on their performance.
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