West Virginia governor directs state's AG to launch investigation into NCAA selection committee

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey directed the state’s Attorney General John McCuskey on Monday to launch an investigation into the NCAA Tournament selection committee to determine if any “backdoor deals” and corruption happened. The news comes a day after West Virginia missed March Madness, despite 111 of 111 bracketologists having the Mountaineers in the projected field.

Standing behind a podium that read “National Corrupt Athletic Association,” Morrisey suggested that West Virginia was left out of the NCAA Tournament field because of “retribution” from the transfer portal lawsuit Morrisey previously oversaw as the state’s Attorney General.

“West Virginia deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament, “Morrisey said. “This was a miscarriage of justice and robbery at the highest levels. And who was the last team to get into the tournament, ahead of the Mountaineers? That would be the University of North Carolina.”

“… Here’s something you may not know, UNC had representation in the room during the selection process. Bubba Cunningham is the athletic director for UNC, he also happens to be the head of the NCAA Tournament selection committee. It’s being reported that Cunningham had a significant bonus incentive if they got into the tournament.”

NCAA selection committee policies require an athletic director of any school being discussed to recuse themselves and leave the room for those discussions and are not allowed to participate in the vote. On3 reached out to the NCAA for comment.

This is not the first time state politicians have reacted to a postseason decision in college sports. Florida lawmakers launched a similar campaign when Florida State was left out of the College Football Playoff in 2023.

“At the end of the day, it’s a billion-dollar business that involves NIL, the lifetimes work for a ton of student-athletes — this would have been the pinnacle of their career,” McCuskey said. “… What we know is the NCAA, what I believe, has an antiquated process for selecting the 68 teams that go into process. What we’re asking for is a level of detail and a level of transparency and a level of accountability so teams like West Virginia can plan in the future and say, ‘What are we supposed to do to get into the tournament?'”

McCuskey went on to say that the root of his investigation will be to establish what the NCAA is doing to objectify the selection process.

Asked if he will file an injunction because the NCAA Tournament begins Tuesday, Morrisey said to the NCAA, “If you’re watching right now, I’m urging you to cooperate right away.”