By: Justin “Couz” Walker | WV Sports Chat
After the WVU Men’s Basketball team lost to BYU in the Big 12 Tournament, fans knew the Mountaineers would not be participating in the NCAA Tournament. Many fans felt like anything other than a March Madness berth was a waste of time. And many, myself included, even thought winning a postseason tournament like the NIT or Crown was still not as important as just making the NCAA Tournament. Some of you may still feel that way. But, as I write this, less than two hours after WVU’s 89-82 win over Oklahoma in the championship game of the College Basketball Crown, I’ve changed my mind. Here’s why.
1.) FOX Media Coverage
Based on how the season had gone, I don’t think it’s unfair to say that if West Virginia had made the NCAA Tournament, they would likely have been a low seed. That means the chances of making it past the first-round of the tournament were slim. That’s not meant to be a shot at the team or staff. It’s simply where the program is right now, which is year one of another rebuild.
An early exit from the tournament would mean the season ended in mid-March. I’m writing this on April 5th and we are still talking about WVU basketball. Guess who else is; the national media. You know who is not getting any media coverage on April 5th? That’s right, the teams who lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
While the Crown does not get the coverage of the NCAA Tournament, and rightfully so, it’s still better than no coverage at all. Had WVU been eliminated the first round of the Big Dance, they would have gotten lost in the shuffle of the other 68 in the field. We would have seen their name get called on Selection Sunday, then we would have watched them play one game (maybe two if they were in one of the play-in games) and then that would have likely been it until next season as far as national media coverage.
By winning the Crown, West Virginia basketball was in the spotlight on three separate occasions. The last two games even appeared on FOX’s main network. It was a chance for Ross Hodge, the program, and more importantly the university, to be featured in front of college basketball fans around the country. What better advertising can you get than that if you are in year one of building a program.
2.) Recruiting the Transfer Portal
The college basketball transfer portal opens up on Tuesday, April 7 and Ross Hodge will be relying on it heavily to build his roster. Of the top eight players in the WVU rotation to end the year, six of those players are out of eligibility and will not return next season. We can also expect there to be at least some attrition from players who choose to transfer out of the program. We could see larger programs poach freshmen DJ Thomas or Amir Jenkins away for more money. Or, some bench players may decide to leave for more playing time. With only four freshmen coming in so far next year, Hodge will need to use the portal to replace a large percentage of the roster.
Players considering a transfer to WVU who were watching the team in the College Basketball Crown saw a lot to like. They saw a team who played hard for their coach. They saw a team who loved playing basketball and had fun doing it. They saw a team who liked being around one another. In essence, they saw a great team culture and a team building toward a bright future.
3.) Positivity Among the Fanbase
While players and coaches often try and stay in their own silos and ignore the outside noise, it’s not always possible in today’s era of social media. It’s especially difficult for players who often use social media to communicate with friends.
Were it not for this College Basketball Crown win, the last game fans would remember would have been a blowout loss to BYU in the Big 12 Conference Tournament. They would also be discussing “what might have been” after WVU lost several games to opponents they should have beaten. Losses to these likes of Xavier, Wake Forest, Utah, and Kansas State arguably kept the Mountaineers out of the NCAA Tournament and had fans frustrated.
Instead, fans saw a West Virginia team who played inspired basketball in a tournament that could have meant very little. They saw them defeat three high-major programs in Stanford, Creighton and Oklahoma. They saw a player in Honor Huff who set season records and won over fans with his infectious personality. Most of all, WVU basketball fans saw a program that appears to be moving in the right direction.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
