West Virginia Basketball Slips to NCAA Tournament Bubble in Joe Lunardi’s Latest Bracketology
The NCAA Tournament hopes for West Virginia basketball have hit a rough patch. After spending recent weeks comfortably in the projected tournament field, the Mountaineers now find themselves in a precarious position as March Madness approaches.
In the latest bracketology update by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, West Virginia has landed on the “last four byes” section, meaning they’re among the final teams safely in—but just barely. Ranked as the 61st team overall, the Mountaineers are now officially on the NCAA Tournament bubble with just a few weeks left in the regular season.
West Virginia got off to a strong start in the 2024–25 college basketball season, posting a solid 9-2 record in non-conference play. They followed that up with an impressive start to Big 12 conference action, including a win over then-No. 7 Kansas and a solid performance against Oklahoma State. Their early-season success even earned them a spot in the AP Top 25.
However, things have gone downhill since then.
The Mountaineers have lost eight of their last 12 games, including three losses to teams not expected to make the NCAA Tournament. This recent slide has dramatically affected their tournament standing and raised serious questions about whether they can hang on to a bid.
Despite the team’s inconsistency, senior guard Javon Small has been a major bright spot. Small is having a breakout season and is firmly in the discussion for Big 12 Player of the Year, averaging 18.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, he’s been a one-man show. No other West Virginia player is currently averaging double-digit points, a troubling sign for a team trying to stay relevant in a deep and competitive Big 12 basketball landscape.
West Virginia isn’t alone on the bubble. Three other Big 12 teams are also fighting for their spot in March Madness: BYU (No. 64 overall), Kansas State (No. 75), and Cincinnati (No. 77). The competition is fierce, and every game matters down the stretch.
With six games remaining in the regular season, head coach Darian DeVries and his squad are running out of time to make a statement. Of those six games, only two are against projected NCAA Tournament teams—No. 9 Texas Tech and BYU. The remaining matchups include Cincinnati, TCU, Utah, and UCF—games West Virginia must capitalize on if they want to solidify their tournament résumé.
As the pressure builds, the Mountaineers must regain their early-season form to stay off the wrong side of the bubble. The road to the NCAA Tournament isn’t closed, but the margin for error is razor thin.
