ESPN Bracketology: West Virginia Improves Seed as DeVries Meets Former School

Joe Lunardi projects an interesting first-round matchup for the Mountaineers.

Feb 15, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Darian DeVries calls a play against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

West Virginia has played its way off the bubble and safely into the NCAA Tournament (for now) by winning two of its last three games and has a chance to unofficially punch its ticket to the big dance on Saturday with a home win over UCF.

The Mountaineers are likely in the tournament regardless of what happens on Saturday and next week in the Big 12 tournament, but chaos always takes place this time of year, so you just never know. There could be several bid stealers and if WVU were to get beaten handily by UCF and a low seed in the conference tournament next week, it'll be a bad look heading into Selection Sunday.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi agrees that WVU doesn't have much to worry about at the moment and has bumped them up a seed line to being the No. 9 seed in the West Region. Lunardi has WVU facing Creighton, which is the school Darian DeVries spent 17 years at as an assistant before taking the head coaching job at Drake.

Lunardi's West Region projection

West Virginia University center Eduardo Andre | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

1. Florida vs. 16. Norfolk State

8. Creighton vs. 9. West Virginia

5. Michigan vs. 12. McNeese

4. Kentucky vs. 13. High Point

6. Saint Mary's vs. 11. Arkansas

3. Wisconsin vs. 14. Chattanooga

7. Ole Miss vs. 10. Utah State

2. Texas Tech vs. 15. Bryant

Lunardi's West Region projection

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