Will WVU Make the Tournament? Predicting the Remaining Six Games on the Schedule

Breaking down what's left on the slate for West Virginia.

Schuyler Callihan | Feb 17, 2025

Feb 15, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard KJ Tenner (3) controls the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images

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West Virginia Mountaineers

With less than a month remaining in the regular season, the West Virginia Mountaineers have a lot of work to do if they want to hear their name called on Selection Sunday next month. Standing at 15-10 (6-8), WVU has left itself with zero margin for error. They must protect the Coliseum and try to steal a game on the road to strengthen its NCAA Tournament resume.

Will the Mountaineers make it? Here are my game-by-game predictions for the remaining six games.

2/19 vs. Cincinnati - Win

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jizzle James (2) drives past West Virginia Mountaineers guard KJ Tenner (3) in the first half of the NCAA basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bearcats are playing much better of late, having won three of its last four since falling to West Virginia at home. That said, when playing on the road, they are a much different team. The only two games they've won away from Fifth Third Arena came against two of the worst teams in the league - Colorado and UCF.

West Virginia's defense bothered them in the first matchup, and I would expect that to be the case again, considering Cincinnati hasn't shot it well all year.

2/22 at Texas Tech - Lose

Feb 15, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Federiko Federiko (33) slaps hands with Texas Tech Red Raiders forward JT Toppin (15) after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Is there a hotter team in college basketball than Texas Tech? If there are, it's a small group. They've won nine of their last ten, including wins Arizona and Houston. While WVU could put up a fight in Lubbock, I'm not sure I could envision a scenario in which they return home with a win.

2/25 vs. TCU - Win

Feb 5, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Javon Small (7) shoots the ball past TCU Horned Frogs guard Jace Posey (41) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

This is one the Mountaineers want back. They led the Frogs by double digits in the first half and squandered the lead as the defense fell apart at the end of the first and start of the second. WVU is the better team, and losing twice to an inferior bunch doesn't seem like it's in the cards.

3/1 at BYU - Lose

Feb 11, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) is fouled by West Virginia Mountaineers guard Toby Okani (5) during the second half at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Talking about games WVU would like to have back...here's another one. West Virginia led for well over 30 minutes during the contest in Morgantown, but a combination of poor defense, dry offense, and questionable foul calls changed the outcome in the final minutes. WVU needed to shoot lights out from three to keep pace with BYU, and they did, yet still fell short. I'm not sure they can keep pace again, and this time, pull out the win.

3/4 at Utah - Lose

Feb 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers forward Amani Hansberry (13) backs down against Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) during the second half at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

This is certainly a winnable game for WVU, but this team's inconsistencies have me hesitant to just assume they'll win one on the road. The Utes are coming off a win over Kansas over the weekend, which goes a long way in keeping any hopes of making the NCAA Tournament alive. They're going to need to get hot down the stretch to make it and that obviously means taking care of business on their home floor.

3/8 vs. UCF - Win

Feb 15, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; UCF Knights guard Keyshawn Hall (4) warms up before the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Knights have lost six straight and just handed Colorado their first Big 12 win of the season. Losing to the Buffs by 13? Yikes. This thing is going to continue to snowball out of control for UCF, and by the time they get to Morgantown, they'll be checked out.

Where does this put West Virginia?

If I turn out to be Nostradamus with the above predictions, West Virginia will finish the 2024-25 regular season with an 18-13 (9-11) record. To me, that's not enough to get into the NCAA Tournament. They're going to need to win a game in the Big 12 Conference tournament, possibly two to really feel good about their chances come Selection Sunday.