I'd love to sit here and write that WVU could go all the way in the NCAA Tournament, but I can't. The #4 Seeded Mountaineers have earned the nickname Stress Virginia, instead of Press Virginia, among the fan base in recent days, and rightfully so. Although WVU has been in it all season long, they are frustratingly inconsistent. They beat #1, #2, and #6 ranked teams this season. They also lost to several unranked teams. Stress is the proper term.
in the tournament this year, WVU is seeded in what is arguably the hardest division, the West. They have Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Florida St, and Arizona all in their division. Not to mention deep upset favorites Xavier and St. Mary's. When (If) they get by Bucknell, the Mountaineers will have their hands full. Do they have the talent to win the division? Yes, they do. Do they have the focus and discipline? I'm not confident that they do.
The first big test will be Notre Dame, who is built to defend against the press. I personally wont be surprised if the WVU season ends on Saturday against Notre Dame. But I also think that if they can prevail and go to the Sweet 16, they could get to the Final Four. Emphasize "could" in that last sentence.
All in all, I'm an alumnus and a fan, and very excited that they are in the tournament. Huggins is a great coach. I'm going to put my faith in that and pray, a lot.
I have them getting to the sweet 16 then getting trounced. WVU is a tough team but it depends on the match-up. Good luck!
