The March Madness picture is getting clearer with each game. Some teams are set to compete in the tournament while others are still fighting to secure their spot. The West Virginia Mountaineers fall in the latter category.
The Mountaineers hosted the UCF Knights at WVU Coliseum for their final game of the regular season. WVU put up a strong performance at home, outscoring the visitors in both halves to win the game 77-62.
This was an important win for WVU. In their last five matchups, they were 1-4. In the last two weeks, they lost to Utah, TCU, Oklahoma, and Kansas State. A losing record in the final stretch of the season is never a good thing.
The Mountaineers were trying to secure their place in the NCAA Tournament. Losing four of five games severely affected their overall record. They stand at eighth place with an 18-13 overall record and 9-9 in the conference.
So, can the West Virginia Mountaineers make March Madness? It’s highly unlikely that they will make the NCAA Tournament this season. While a 77-62 win is commendable, especially in their situation, their record isn’t good enough to help them qualify.
If the Mountaineers miss the tournament this year, which is likely going to happen, it will be their third consecutive season without qualification for the tournament. At this stage, it’s safe to assume their season has come to an end.
Conference losses to Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and Utah, and non-conference losses to Xavier and Wake Forest damaged their chances of qualifying. Still, if this is the end of their chapter, the Mountaineers are going out on a high note following the win against the UCF Knights.
Mountaineers Head Coach Ross Hodge Reflected on the Season
Ross Hodge took over the head coaching duties for the West Virginia Mountaineers in 2025. Before WVU, he was the head coach of the North Texas Mean Green from 2023 to 2025, which followed a seven-year run as associate HC.
After the win over the UCF Knights, Hodge said he was thankful for the team.
“I just told the group man, I’m so incredibly thankful for them and just super happy for them,” he said.
“My wife, she hates the phrase ‘you deserve something in life.’ She’d change the phrase to they earned it, and they certainly earned it. Their ability to have things go very negative, whether it’s in a game, during a game, or for the entire game, but to still have the resolve and the resiliency to scrape themselves off the mat.”
Hodge said that his team has battled adversity, and they’ve earned the position they’re in today.
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