My eyes still haven’t fully recovered from whatever uniform experiment we witnessed Tuesday night between Kansas State and West Virginia Men’s Basketball.
Ugly jerseys for an ugly game – but the Mountaineers found a way. West Virginia rallied late to secure a 59–54 victory over the Wildcats inside the Hope Coliseum. Read more: Hope is alive – Inside WVU’s path to the NCAA Tournament.
I promise this entire column won’t be about jerseys – but good grief. We understand lavender uniforms are a nod to Kansas State’s 1970s era. That’s fine. History matters. But these felt lighter than usual, and at times I genuinely couldn’t tell which team was which.
Related: West Virginia tames the Wildcats with a 59-54 win
But I digress.
What matters most is this: WVU continues to protect its house.
Hold the line
The Mountaineers remain undefeated at home, having not lost at the WVU Coliseum since February of last year. You remember that season? The one that ended with what many still believe was one of the most brutal NCAA Tournament snubs in college basketball history. Somehow, that feels like a lifetime ago.
Because this version of WVU Basketball feels different.
Under first-year head coach Ross Hodge, this newly assembled roster is very much alive in the NCAA Tournament conversation. And thankfully, Treysen Eaglestaff rediscovered his shooting touch late against Kansas State – helping the Mountaineers avoid what would have been a Quad 3 home loss that could’ve all but buried any March Madness hopes.
Instead, West Virginia sits at 14–7 overall and 5–3 in Big 12 play – good for seventh place in what many consider the best conference in college basketball. That’s not a bad place to be when the calendar starts creeping toward March.
Tourney bound?
If the Mountaineers want to hear their name called on Selection Sunday, the blueprint is fairly straightforward. Protect home court and steal enough opportunities away from Morgantown to strengthen the résumé.
Must-win games
There’s no sugarcoating this part. These are games West Virginia simply cannot afford to drop:
- Jan. 31 vs. Baylor (home)
- Feb. 18 vs. Utah (home)
- March 6 vs. UCF (home)
Lose one of these, and the math becomes uncomfortable. Lose two, and that’s all she wrote.
Where the Mountaineers must steal a few
West Virginia doesn’t need to sweep this stretch. But it does need to grab three wins out of the following seven games to remain firmly in the NCAA Tournament picture:
- Feb. 8 vs. Texas Tech (home)
- Feb. 5 at Cincinnati (away)
- Feb. 21 at TCU (away)
- Feb. 14 at UCF (away)
- Feb. 24 at Oklahoma State (away)
- Feb. 28 vs. BYU (home)
- March 3 at Kansas State (away)
None of this is an exact science.
These are simply my rough calculations on what it may take for West Virginia to make the NCAA Tournament. Every season is different, and bubble math can change quickly.
Then there’s the Big 12 Tournament – which could become a final opportunity. One or two wins can change everything.
If the Mountaineers continue protecting Hope Coliseum, avoid damaging losses and steal a few wins down the stretch, an NCAA Tournament berth is well within reach. And if WVU finds itself firmly on the bubble again, the selection committee may owe them one – especially after last season.
