Charleston, WV (WOAY) – West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey held a news conference regarding the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament selection process.
Governor Morrisey, joined by West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, called for an immediate investigation into NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Selection Committee to determine if any backroom deals, corruption, bribes or any nefarious activity occurred during the selection process.
The West Virginia Mountaineer Men’s Basketball team were shockingly left off the 68-team bracket for the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament. The North Carolina Tarheels got into the tournament ahead of the Mountaineers with arguably a worse resume. The Mountaineers had been projected by a majority of national sports publications to be included in tournament brackets.
According to Governor Morrisey, the Tarheels had representation in the room at the selection process. UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham is the head of the tournament selection committee. The Governor alleges that UNC AD Cunningham has significant bonuses and financial incentives tied to the success of his school’s basketball program.
Attorney General McCuskey is asking for transparency and believes the public deserves to know what objective metrics are used by the committee to ensure the best 68 teams are in the tournament.
“Given the major event that the tournament has become, all fans deserve to know how the selection committee makes its choices,” Attorney General McCuskey wrote in a letter to the NCAA. “Just for the teams, those criteria affect scheduling, lineup choices, and more.”
“And as we look ahead to another season, these student-athletes deserve to know the rules of the game and what they might be up against.”
The AG hopes that the NCAA will cooperate with the state to provide some understanding about the decision to ensure the process is fair, trustworthy and transparent for all student-athletes and fans moving forward.
Read the letter here.
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