Bracketology Expert Not Buying the WVU Hype, Leaves 'Eers Off Initial Projection

Joe Lunardi shockingly has the Mountaineers on the outside looking in.

Aliou Dioum

Ross Hodge has made a ton of progress building the Mountaineer basketball program since the end of the season, reeling in a top 15 high school class and transfer portal class. It's reasonable to think that with the incoming talent, West Virginia will be a near lock (if they stay healthy) to make the NCAA Tournament next season, especially since the field has now expanded to 76.

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi is not buying the hype, however. At least not right now.

In his very first projection for next season that features 76 teams, he has West Virginia as his first team out. The teams that just snuck in ahead of the Mountaineers? Ohio State, NC State, UCLA, Creighton, TCU, Oklahoma, Marquette, and Stanford.

I get the hesitation, but...

Miles Sadler

Ross Hodge won 21 games and finished in seventh place in the best league in America with a roster that had extreme limitations. He had no rim protection, no true backup point guard, no consistent scoring outside of Honor Huff, and just one true center. If he was able to accomplish that much with that level of talent, it's reasonable to think that with this group, which he just assembled over the last few months, he is capable of doing some special things.

Not only are the Mountaineers going to be more athletic, bigger, and skilled, but they have actual depth at virtually every spot. The staff did an excellent job of recruiting experienced players who have been productive and can play multiple positions. I'm aware that they are banking on the potential of the frontcourt, but the backcourt is filled with talent — Miles Sadler, Finley Bizjack, Joson Sanon, Martin Somverville, Amir Jenkins, etc.

If I had to guess, it's a mixture of WVU replacing essentially the entire roster, Hodge still being considered as a young head coach who has yet to make the tournament, and doubts that they will still struggle in Big 12 play.

Because they have more capable scorers and length, they should be able to avoid stubbing their toe as often as they did in non-conference play. Which, if you ask me, really put them in a big hole early in the year and could also be the reason why there is some skepticism from Lunardi. He knows they have Pitt, Wake Forest, and some tough competition in the Players Era and may not feel confident about their ability to come out of non-con in a good spot record-wise.