WVU snub ‘robbery’ at highest level, gov. says

Mar 17, 2025, 03:04 PM ETWest Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey lashed out at the men’s NCAA tournament selection committee after the Mountaineers were among the teams snubbed, and he asked his attorney general to investigate and work closely with the NCAA to ensure that the process is transparent and fair.”West Virginia deserved to be in the NCAA tournament,” Morrisey, standing at a lectern with a sign reading “National Corrupt Athletic Association,” said Monday in Charleston, West Virginia. “This was a miscarriage of justice and robbery at the highest levels.”Editor’s Picks2 RelatedWest Virginia (19-13) had six Quad 1 wins this season, but it lost its opening game in the Big 12 tournament to last-place Colorado. The Mountaineers played much of the season without the coach’s son, 6-foot-7 Tucker DeVries, who averaged 14.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in his eight starts before an upper-body injury that required surgery.First-year Mountaineers coach Darian DeVries said the team was “extremely shocked, saddened and disappointed” with not making the tournament.Bubba Cunningham, the North Carolina athletic director who is chairman of the NCAA tournament selection committee, referenced DeVries’ injury when talking about the first four teams left out.”The last four teams that were out … it was a tough call,” Cunningham said during the selection show Sunday. “The next team out was West Virginia, and they had an outstanding year and, unfortunately, knowing Tucker DeVries was hurt, player availability is something that we talk about quite a bit.”Indiana was close, Ohio State was close, Boise [State] was close.”Men’s Tournament ChallengeSign up now to play the #1 Men’s bracket game for FREE! $135,000 in prizes.Play Men’s Tournament Challenge
One of the last at-large teams to make the field was North Carolina (22-13), which raised eyebrows due to Cunningham’s role with both entities.”This stinks at the highest level. This doesn’t pass the smell test,” said Morrisey, who referenced reported incentives that Cunningham would receive by the Tar Heels making the tournament. “… I want folks to let that sink in for a moment. Any way you slice it, this thing reeks of corruption.”He said it was “too soon for litigation.”North Carolina, chosen as an 11-seed, was the last team in, with its inclusion based not on its 1-12 record against Quad 1 teams but on its 8-0 mark against Quad 2, along with other favorable metrics, said Keith Gill, Sun Belt Conference commissioner and selection committee vice chairman.Cunningham said that, as chairman of the selection committee, he was not part of any debate that included UNC. Gill said Sunday that he “managed all the conversations” concerning North Carolina.West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey said he’d like to know exactly how the field is selected.”What we are asking for is a level of detail and a level of transparency, level of accountability, so teams like West Virginia can plan in the future and say, ‘What are we supposed to do to get into the tournament?'” McCuskey said Monday. “We need to know what they are looking for.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.