On Monday, the college basketball team of West Virginia Mountaineers secured a significant victory against Iowa State, thereby keeping their chances of participating in the NCAA Tournament alive. The team’s bid for the 2025 NCAA Tournament holds the promise of increased fan involvement and betting on March Madness for West Virginia sports.
After Monday’s victory, West Virginia’s overall record stands at 17-13, with a Big 12 play record of 6-11. In the upcoming Big 12 conference tournament, if they fail to achieve any surprising wins, they still have a chance to secure an automatic berth by winning the championship.
Following a narrow 76-74 loss to Big 12 leader Kansas, Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins stood up for his team’s position and dismissed any doubts.
I assure our team that there’s no need for concern, and I will strongly advocate for the inclusion of our players in the tournament. It’s only fair, considering the countless years we’ve dedicated to playing against tough opponents, as we were advised to do in order to be considered among the best teams.
West Virginia Mountaineers record and NCAA Tournament schedule
Selection Sunday is scheduled for March 12, preceding the commencement of March Madness on March 14 with the First Four play-in games. On March 16 and 17, Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament will take place, featuring 64 teams competing to advance to the Round of 32 on March 18 and 19.
On Saturday, March 4, West Virginia will be hosting Kansas State. The Mountaineers have been drawing an impressive average of nearly 12,000 fans at their home games, and an even larger turnout is anticipated for senior day and the final home game. The game is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. ET at WVU Coliseum. A victory against the Wildcats would likely guarantee an NCAA Tournament at-large spot for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia’s Big 12 opener on Dec. 31 ended in a disappointing loss to Kansas State, with a final score of 82-76 in overtime. Coach Huggins expressed his frustration, stating that the Mountaineers had essentially handed the game to their opponents. This sentiment stemmed from their inability to maintain a 14-point lead throughout the match.
Before senior day and the final game of the regular season against Kansas State, West Virginia finds itself among the three “bubble teams” in the Big 12. Alongside a more desperate Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, they are vying for a spot. The decisive match between Oklahoma State and Texas Tech will take place on March 4, marking the end of the regular season in the Big 12.
Mountaineers will be a small favorite in West Virginia sports betting
West Virginia’s triumphant three-point road win against Iowa State was extensively covered by multiple sources. This victory holds significance not only for West Virginia’s success but also for the potential consequences it averted.
If the Mountaineers had lost to the Cyclones, their record would have been 16-14, suffering five defeats in the last six games. However, West Virginia managed to secure their first road victory in more than a month. Consequently, they are now set to host Kansas State and are considered part of the “last four in” category in various brackets.
It is important to note that thus far, no Big 12 basketball team has qualified for the NCAA Tournament with a conference record of 6-12 or lower. West Virginia currently holds a record of 6-11 going into Saturday’s game. Interestingly, despite this, the Mountaineers are expected to be slightly favored over the Wildcats as per the college basketball betting lines released Friday night.
Before their upcoming matches against Oklahoma on March 1 and West Virginia on March 4, Kansas State has secured three consecutive victories, bringing their Big 12 play record to 10-6.
The T-Mobile Center in Kansas City will be hosting the 2025 Big 12 tournament from March 8-11. West Virginia is scheduled to compete in the first round, expected to be seeded at No. 8. As the regular season comes to a close, Texas Tech seems to be the probable opponent for West Virginia in the tournament.
West Virginia NCAA Tournament resume
This season, Big 12 basketball has showcased an unparalleled level of competitiveness, solidifying its position as the strongest conference in college basketball. Notably, West Virginia has faced the most challenging schedule among all Big 12 teams.
During the nonconference matches, WVU faced a tough challenge, managing to secure victories against formidable opponents like Florida, Auburn, and the ACC-leading Pittsburgh. However, they also suffered defeats against Xavier and the highly anticipated No. 1 seed in the projected NCAA Tournament, Purdue.
The Mountaineers possess an impressive record with four Quad 1 victories and secure a position among the nation’s top 30 teams, according to the NET rankings. This ranking system serves as a crucial factor for the NCAA Tournament selection committee. Notably, seven out of the ten Big 12 teams also find themselves within the Top 30 of the NET rankings.
After the defeat against Kansas last Saturday, Coach Huggins pointed out…
Our strength of schedule is undoubtedly the best in the country, by a significant margin. It’s not even a close competition. If the committee fails to acknowledge the importance of this factor, it would be truly disappointing. Moreover, if you consider our scores, it becomes evident that we have rightfully earned a spot in the tournament.
Furthermore, the Mountaineers have been placed at an impressive No. 5 in the nation’s strength of schedule rankings, as reported by KenPom.com. Notably, half of the teams in the Big 12 conference have also secured spots within the Top 10 rankings.
Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology had West Virginia listed as one of the teams on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament before their win against Iowa State on Monday. However, with this victory, coach Huggins’ team has most likely secured their place in the Field of 68.
Earning an NCAA Tournament bid will be further solidified for the Mountaineers with a win against Kansas State and/or a successful first-round performance in the Big 12 tournament.
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