Predicting the 16 NCAA Regional Hosts — Will WVU Make the Cut?

West Virginia could have removed all doubt last night with a win over Kansas in the Big 12 Conference championship, but with the 9-0 loss, there is some concern from the fanbase as to whether or not the selection committee will exclude them from the top 16, which will be revealed tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET.

If you ask me and many others, West Virginia's resume is simply too good to ignore and should be locked into a hosting spot. Finishing the year with 21 wins in Big 12 play, sweeping the conference champs on the road, and losing just two series on the season is host-worthy.

So, where could the Mountaineers land in the top 16? Who are the other hosts? Here are my predictions.

My projected Top 16 (regional hosts)

No. 1: UCLA
No. 2: Georgia Tech
No. 3: North Carolina
No. 4: Georgia
No. 5: Auburn
No. 6: Texas
No. 7: Florida
No. 8: Florida State
No. 9: Alabama
No. 10: Texas A&M
No. 11: Southern Miss
No. 12: Kansas
No. 13: Oregon
No. 14: Nebraska
No. 15: West Virginia
No. 16: Arkansas

Comparing WVU to other possible hosts

West Virginia infielder Brodie Kresser | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Rankings in order of appearance: DSR, RPI, KPI = Average

West Virginia: 10, 17, 12 = 13

The Mountaineers dropped a couple of spots in the RPI and just one spot in the DSR and KPI following their loss in the title game to Kansas. With how tight the race has been for the final few host spots, it's clear that they did themselves a massive favor by winning a couple of games in the conference tournament.

Arkansas: 13, 21, 13 = 15.6

The Razorbacks, in my opinion, have the best chance of the teams listed to be above West Virginia. I don't see there being another that would kick WVU off the one line. Arkansas beat Tennessee, Texas, and Auburn en route to an appearance in the SEC championship game.

Ole Miss: 19, 16, 14 = 16.3

The Rebels went 5-5 in SEC series, leading to an even 15-15 mark. They didn't help their cause by being a one-and-done in the conference tournament, losing to Missouri. Losing three of their last four will be on the committee's mind.

Mississippi State: 12, 12, 11 = 11.6

While the metrics like the Bulldogs more than WVU and the others, they're late season slide is going to impact their chances of hosting. Going 4-6 in their last 10 to end the regular season, and being swept by a projected No. 2 seed, Tennessee, will hurt them.

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