The 5th ranked West Virginia women’s basketball team landed the 2nd seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament’s Louisville region.
Quick season recap:
The Mountaineers (29-4) didn’t enter the rankings until January 20th when they entered at the 18th spot. They swept Oklahoma State, which was ranked, 11th and 12th nationally at the times of the matchups as well as Iowa State, which was ranked 13th and 23rd nationally at the time of the matchups. Then, the Mountaineers stunned the women’s basketball world by beating 6th ranked Baylor in Waco, Texas. West Virginia ended the regular season winning its first ever Big 12 title, which they shared with the Baylor Bears. They then made the Big 12 Tournament Championship game, which they lost to Baylor 74-71.
Now on to the NCAA Tournament:
The Mountaineers will face the 15th seeded Albany Great Danes on Sunday at 3pm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Albany and West Virginia have never faced each other before but the 28-4 Great Danes wont stand much of a chance versus the Mountaineers. The only team of significance that Albany played was Duke. They lost 80-51 to the Blue Devils.
The Mountaineers will have its programs first ever 30 win season with a win versus the Great Danes on Sunday. If that 30th win is reached, West Virginia will either play 7th seeded Louisiana State or 10th seeded Georgia Tech.
Here is the sad thing:
If the Mountaineers and Tigers win, West Virginia will be playing Louisiana State on their home court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If the Mountaineers defeat the Tigers, then West Virginia will more than likely face 3rd seeded Louisville, in guess where? Yep! Louisville, Kentucky.
An NCAA Tournament team should NEVER have to potentially face not one, but two teams on the opposing teams home court, especially if they are a lower seed. The planning into that possibility blows my (and I don’t doubt others’) mind.
This team believes they have a legitimate shot at the National Championship. They are confident going into the NCAA Tournament and they want to prove to everyone that they can pull off a National Title run nobody believes they can make.