Celebrities Predict Where WVU's Run Will End in This Year's NCAA Tournament

Can West Virginia make a deep run this March?

Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith looks on before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This evening, the West Virginia Mountaineers will begin their quest in the women's NCAA Tournament, playing host to No. 13 seed Miami (OH) at 5 p.m. ET.

Barring something crazy happening, WVU should have no problem with the RedHawks tonight, with all due respect to the MAC champions. The Mountaineers have been incredibly tough to beat at home, and with a sold-out crowd on hand, I don't see Miami hanging around in this one for long.

But what about after tonight's game? How deep can West Virginia go? Yesterday, Joey Bray and I each agreed that the Sweet Sixteen is where the end of the road will be, with each of us picking the Mountaineers over Kentucky in the Round of 32.

Earlier this morning, I was digging around the web to see what others thought of the Mountaineers and stumbled upon a group of celebrities' picks in ESPN's bracket challenge.

What the celebrities say

Stephen A. Smith, ESPN personality, radio host and sports analyst, is one of the hosts of First Take. He is pictured before the show's stop at Bethune-Cookman University during its HBCU fall tour on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. | Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stephen A. Smith (ESPN personality): Sweet 16, losing to Texas

Stanford Steve (SportsCenter commenter): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

Joe Fortenbaugh (ESPN betting content): Sweet 16, losing to Texas

Harry Douglas (Former NFL WR): Sweet 16, losing to Texas

Randy Scott (SportsCenter host): Sweet 16, losing to Texas

Mike Clay (ESPN NFL Senior Writer): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

Gary Striewski (ESPN anchor): Sweet 16, losing to Texas

Matt Shick (ESPN radio): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

Hannah Storm (SportsCenter anchor): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

Dari Nowkhah (Lead anchor, SEC Network): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

Michael Eaves (SportsCenter anchor): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

Shae Cornette (ESPN First Take host): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

Jay Harris (SportsCenter host): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

David Lloyd (SportsCenter host): Round of 32, losing to Kentucky

A surprisingly popular pick...

West Virginia University guard Sydney Shaw | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Kentucky is a good team, don't get me wrong. I'm just stunned that nine of the fourteen recognizable names I listed chose the Wildcats to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Kentucky brand, even in women's hoops, is much stronger than West Virginia's. Brands don't in games, though, and I think many are just so unfamiliar with how good the Mountaineers have become on Mark Kellogg's watch and how incredibly challenging it is to score on this group.

Hope Coliseum is going to be a madhouse for these first two rounds, and if we do get a West Virginia-Kentucky second-round matchup, that Mountaineer crowd will do everything it can to help push them to the finish line.

If so, they will likely take on Texas in the Sweet Sixteen, and if we're being honest, they'll need a miracle to advance. The Longhorns are long, extremely athletic, and have several pro-caliber players on their roster.