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West Virginia AD Wren Baker hammers committee over March Madness snub, posts receipts

Wade-Peeryby:Wade Peery•03/16/25
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(Ben Queen / USA TODAY Sports)

The NCAA Tournament Bracket Selection Show is always a joyous occasion for those that manage to get into the big dance. But for those left on the outside looking in on the bubble, it can be an excruciating experience. And the sting is certainly felt by the players, coaches, fans, and administrators at their respective schools. The West Virginia Mountaineers were left out of the NCAA Tourney field on Sunday night, when plenty of bracketologists and experts had them projected to be in the field.

Following the snub, WVU athletic director Wren Baker decided to stand up for his team on Twitter. He posted a brief message about the snub, with an extensive graphic crafted with stats on the Mountaineers’ basketball resume for the 2024-2025 campaign.

“Heartbroken for WVU hoops. 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!” Baker tweeted on Sunday evening.

West Virginia finished with a 19-13 overall record, including 10-10 in the Big 12 Conference. Some of the more impressive parts of their resume that Baker posted on Sunday night. The Mountaineers boasted six wins over Quad 1 teams. They also defeated such quality opponents as No. 2 Iowa State, No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 7 Kansas, and the No. 24 Arizona Wildcats. WVU was only one of 30 teams in college basketball to win six or more Quad 1 games.

West Virginia has accepted an invitation to play in the inaugural College Basketball Crown, a 16-team tournament that will be played in Las Vegas from March 31-April 6. Owned by Fox and AEG, preference is given to Fox-affiliated conferences which include the Big 12, Big Ten and Big East. The CBC is expected to be a first-class event, with an official announcement and bracket coming on Monday.