The state of West Virginia is fuming over the West Virginia Mountaineers’ NCAA Tournament snub, and the state government is even getting involved.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced Monday that he is directing his attorney general to launch an investigation into the NCAA and the selection committee after the Mountaineers’ snub. Morrisey said at a press conference that he was looking to determine if “any backroom deals, corruption, bribes, or any nefarious activity occurred during the selection process.”
The state of West Virginia is opening an investigation into the NCAA after being left out of the tournament pic.twitter.com/76Qa5XxB59
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 17, 2025
The state went all out for the press conference, with Morrisey even standing behind a podium that read “National Corrupt Athletic Association.”
The move comes a day after West Virginia was shockingly left out of the field despite being widely seen as safely in the tournament. Much of the criticism has been directed at the inclusion of North Carolina, particularly as Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham was chairing the selection committee. That conflict of interest is likely one of the things Morrisey is alluding to when discussing “backroom deals” or “nefarious activity.”
This is essentially a publicity stunt, and it is quite unlikely that anything will ever come of it. However, it is worth noting that as West Virginia’s attorney general, Morrisey successfully sued the NCAA over its transfer eligibility rules.
Not everyone is as furious about this controversy as the state of West Virginia is. Despite that, it is a pretty awful decision from the selection committee that is hard to defend. Ultimately, though, it is likely just a bad decision, not a corrupt one.
