Bracketology Update: WVU Could See Former Head Coach in Possible Second-Round Clash

This would be an interesting potential second-round matchup for the Mountaineers.

Feb 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Tonight, the West Virginia Mountaineers will take on the Colorado Buffaloes in the semifinals of the women's basketball Big 12 Conference tournament.

Following the win over Arizona State on Friday, WVU now has a 25-6 overall record and is one step closer to potentially hosting a first weekend game in the NCAA Tournament. It may take winning the Big 12 title for that to come to fruition, but it's certainly in the realm of possibilities.

In yesterday's bracketology projection, which is the most recent from ESPN's Charlie Creme, he has the Mountaineers as a No. 5 seed in the Sacramento region, meaning they would just miss out on a coveted top-16 seed.

Projected Sacramento Region

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 High Point

No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech

No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 12 San Diego State

No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 UC Irvine

No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Columbia

No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 14 Charleston

No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Rhode Island

No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Western Illinois

An interesting possible second-round matchup

Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit cheers on her team Wednesday, April 2, 2025, during the WBIT championship game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Belmont Bruins at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

WVU is projected to face No. 12 San Diego State and if they take care of business, they could potentially face their former head coach, Dawn Plitzuweit and the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the round of 32.

Because of the constant turnover and chaos in the men's program over the last four years, it feels like Dawn Plitzuweit's departure from West Virginia occurred over a decade ago in some respects.

Wren Baker hired Plitzuweit in 2022 after a strong six-year run at South Dakota where she accumulated a 158-36 (.814) record. Mountaineer fans felt good about the direction of the program with her at the helm, going 19-12 in her first and what would be her only season on the job. She pulled a Darian DeVries before we even knew what that meant. After just one year, she left to take the Minnesota job, returning closer to home.

In her three years at Minnesota, she's compiled a 67-35 record and is on the brink leading the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018. The move has actually ended up working out for both parties, as Mark Kellogg has ripped off three consecutive 25-win seasons and enters tonight's game with a record of 75-22 while at WVU.

WVU and Colorado tip off at 6:30 p.m. ET tonight on ESPN+.