In many people’s eyes, the NCAA snubbed the West Virginia Mountaineers (19-13, 10-10) in favor of the North Carolina Tar Heels (22-13, 13-7) for the final spot in the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.
After a season that saw the Tar Heels go 1-12 in Quad 1 games, most experts assumed UNC was out of the mix following an ACC tournament semifinal loss to No. 1 Duke. Now, the integrity of the selection committee — chaired by Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham — is being called into question.
West Virginia Governor Slams NCAA After Mountaineers’ March Madness Snub
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey may be the angriest of them all.
In aMonday press conferencey, Morrisey announced he asked state Attorney General John McCuskey toinvestigateo the NCAA selection committee and whether any “backdoor deals” were made.
“West Virginia deserved to be in the NCAA tournament,” Morrisey said. “This is a miscarriage of justice and robbery at the highest level.”
Morrisey continued his crusade against what he christened the “National Corrupt Athletic Association” in an appearance on NewsMax.
“The only thing I would say, as you mention the NCAA tournament, is the Mountaineers got hurt,” Morrisey said. “What a ridiculous call to not put them in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, I have to say that. This is outrageous, a little home cooking going on in North Carolina.”
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark also expressed disappointment in the selection committee via ESPN’s Pete Thamel Monday.
“I was surprised and disappointed to see West Virginia not receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament,” Yormark told Thamel. “In addition to their six Quad 1 wins, the Mountaineers won 10 conference games in one of the toughest leagues in the country. West Virginia deserved a spot, and fans across the country agree.
KEEP READING: West Virginia Governor Slams NCAA as ‘Corrupt’ Over Mountaineers Tournament Exclusion
Coach Devries and his team did an incredible job fighting adversity and winning big games all season. Regardless of this disappointing outcome, I’m incredibly proud that they represented the Big 12 all season.”
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
