'Heartbroken' West Virginia AD Releases Statement After NCAA Tournament Snub

Wren Baker said it's a 'travesty' West Virginia missed out on the 68-team field.

West Virginia Mountaineers head coach DeVries celebrates with players after a play against the UCF Knights. / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The West Virginia Mountaineers narrowly missed out on an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. In the first year under head coach Darian DeVries, West Virginia finished 19-13 on the season with a 10-10 record in Big 12 play.

Seven teams made the 68-team field out of the Big 12, including 19-14 Baylor who was also 10-10 in conference play. The Bears were given a nine-seed and will play Mississippi State in the first round. West Virginia is debatably the most controversial team to miss out on the tournament.

Selection committee chair Bubba Cunningham mentioned the committee had to consider player availability in their process. That references the injury to Mountaineers star Tucker DeVries, Darian's son, who only played eight games this season due to a season-ending upper body injury.

Tucker has remained sidelined since early December, missing the entirety of West Virginia's conference schedule. North Carolina, where Cunningham is the athletic director, received the final at-large bid. West Virginia certainly feels that bid should have been theirs.

"Heartbroken for [West Virginia basketball]," West Virginia AD Wren Baker posted on his X account. "I can’t comprehend this team being left out. Our resume was better than several teams in the field and it’s a terrible travesty that we weren’t included. I have so much appreciation for coach DeVries, our coaching staff and players. They deserved better than what the committee delivered today. Let’s rally around these young men and let them know how proud we are of them."

Heartbroken for @WVUhoops. I can’t comprehend this team being left out. Our resume was better than several teams in the field and it’s a terrible travesty that we weren’t included. I have so much appreciation for @Coach_DeVries, our coaching staff and players. They deserved… pic.twitter.com/SDOemgXeZ0

— Wren Baker (@wrenbaker) March 16, 2025

The Mountaineers lost to 16-seed Colorado in their first game of the Big 12 tournament Wednesday. Although a conference tournament run would have helped their standing in the committee's eyes, West Virginia has a case for this year's biggest March Madness snub. And their AD knows it.

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