West Virginia narrowly missed out on the 2025 NCAA Tournament, falling just one spot short. During CBS’s selection broadcast, the Mountaineers were revealed as the first team left out of the 68-team field a shocking omission considering every major bracketologist had projected them to qualify.
So, what happened?
Selection Committee Chair Bubba Cunningham pointed to a key injury as a deciding factor. “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.”
The explanation has left many scratching their heads. DeVries, who played just eight games and hasn’t seen the court since November, was cited as a reason for WVU’s exclusion. Yet, the Mountaineers managed to beat Kansas and Iowa State without him. Meanwhile, North Carolina Cunningham’s own school secured the final tournament spot despite a 1-12 record in Quad 1 games and even suffering a Quad 3 loss. West Virginia, in contrast, went 6-10 in Quad 1 matchups without a single loss below Quad 2.
Using “player availability” as a justification for leaving WVU out feels flimsy at best. The Mountaineers proved all season that they could win without DeVries, making their exclusion all the more baffling.
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