West Virginia Basketball Shockingly Left Out of NCAA Tournament

Despite strong early-season wins, the Mountaineers were excluded from the 68-team field, with the selection committee citing a key player's injury.

West Virginia University was the 'first team out' of the NCAA Tournament, despite being listed in all 111 expert brackets on Bracket Matrix.
The Mountaineers had notable wins over Kansas, Gonzaga, and Arizona but were penalized for the season-ending injury of star player Tucker DeVries in November.
The NCAA Selection Committee Chair, Bubba Cunningham, acknowledged DeVries' absence as a major factor in the decision to exclude WVU.
Critics pointed out that UNC, which made the tournament, had a weaker resume, including a 1-12 record against Quad 1 teams compared to WVU's 6-10 record.
WVU Athletic Director Wren Baker and Coach Darian DeVries expressed disappointment but praised the team for overcoming significant challenges this season.