WVU Men’s Basketball’s season isn’t over yet. The Mountaineers accepted an invite to the College Basketball Crown tournament on March 14. Read more: WVU Basketball accepts bid to College Basketball Crown.
The eight-team tournament begins April 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Teams will play the quarterfinals April 1–2, followed by the semifinals April 4. The championship game will take place April 5 at T-Mobile Arena.
What is the Crown?
The Crown is a postseason tournament for eight Power 4 programs, consisting of the two highest-seeded teams from each conference that do not make the NCAA Tournament.
For West Virginia’s sake, the Mountaineers likely received an invitation after Cincinnati declined its bid following the firing of head coach Wes Miller. UCF would likely serve as the other Big 12 Conference representative if it does not receive one of the final at-large bids to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Related: Season in review: WVU Men’s Basketball
One major benefit of the Crown is its NIL prize pool for teams that advance to at least the semifinals. Teams that reach that round earn $50,000. The runner-up receives $100,000, while the tournament champion takes home $200,000.
Considering the tournament will be held during the transfer portal window and teams like West Virginia will miss out on valuable time, the extra NIL money makes the tournament worth it.
How WVU got there
While the Mountaineers did not have the season they were hoping for, they still had a number of quality wins that helped them get the opportunity to play in the Crown.
Beating teams like Kansas and BYU at home were high quality wins that could have been crucial in WVU earning a spot in the NCAA tournament. However, too many losses on the road and an early exit in the Big 12 Tournament quickly put those aspirations to rest.
Instead, head coach Ross Hodge faced the decision of whether his team would extend its season or turn its focus to next year. Hodge ultimately left the choice to his players, who decided to keep playing and try to finish the year on a high note.
It may not be as glamorous as the NCAA Tournament, but winning the Crown would give the Mountaineers momentum heading into next season. Plus, earning much needed NIL money would be nice.
Stay up to date with WVU’s postseason run right here on wvsportsnation.com. With the women’s team set to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, you won’t want to miss any of the action as March Madness continues.
