Amanda Knapp
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference and have a rich history in the sport, with 13 conference tournament championships and 31 appearances in the NCAA tournament. The team has experienced both highs and lows in recent years, with notable wins and losses affecting their rankings. As of January 2025, their ranking has been a topic of confusion, with many questioning why they are not placed higher.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | West Virginia Mountaineers |
| University | West Virginia University |
| Division | NCAA Division I |
| Conference | Big 12 |
| Conference Tournament Championships | 13 |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | 31 |
| Final Four Appearances | 2 |
| NIT Appearances | 16 |
| NIT Championships | 2 (1942, 2007) |
| Home Games Venue | WVU Coliseum |
| Home Games Venue Year | 1970 |
| Rivalries | Pittsburgh, Maryland |
| Preseason Ranking (2024) | 56 |
| Current Ranking | 30 |
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What You'll Learn
WVU's ranking history
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team has a rich history in NCAA Division I college basketball. The team has experienced both highs and lows over the years, with notable wins and losses that have impacted their rankings.
In the 2024-2025 season, the Mountaineers had a strong start, winning the first six games. However, they then lost to #7 Duke, which resulted in them earning a #7 ranking. They posted another seven-game win streak, including a victory over #5 Villanova, but then lost to Virginia Tech. Despite some setbacks, they finished the season strong, sweeping the Southern Conference tournament and ending with wins over Pittsburgh and George Washington.
Prior to this, in 2019, West Virginia upset #2 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cleveland Classic, winning 67-59. Going further back, in 2017, the Mountaineers upset #1 Baylor at the WVU Coliseum with a final score of 89-68. The team has also had success in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), winning the tournament in 1942 and 2007 and considering the 1942 NIT Championship as a National Championship.
The Mountaineers have a long-standing rivalry with Pittsburgh, with 184 games played between 1906 and 2012 and WVU leading the series. This rivalry was an in-conference rivalry for many years but was put on hold after conference realignment moved the teams to different conferences. West Virginia also has an interstate rivalry with Maryland, dating back to 1926, though it has primarily been an out-of-conference rivalry.
Despite their successes, the Mountaineers have also experienced ranking inconsistencies. For example, in January 2025, after beating the second-ranked team in the country, they only moved up two spots from 32nd to 30th in the NCAA NET Rankings, confusing some observers. Nevertheless, the team has a proud history and continues to compete at the highest levels of college basketball.
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WVU's NCAA tournament appearances
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team has had a rich history of NCAA tournament appearances, with 31 appearances in total, including two Final Fours, most recently in 2010. The Mountaineers have also appeared in 16 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), winning the tournament twice in 1942 and 2007. The team plays its home games at the WVU Coliseum, their home venue since 1970.
WVU's first NCAA Tournament appearance came in 1955, and they have since become a regular fixture in March Madness, with multiple appearances in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. In 2010, the Mountaineers made a memorable run to the Final Four, showcasing their talent and determination on the national stage.
While the team has experienced several notable victories, they have also faced some disappointing losses. In 2025, the Mountaineers were left out of the NCAA Tournament, sparking controversy and criticism of the selection process. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey publicly expressed his disappointment and called for increased transparency and fairness in the tournament selection process.
Despite the setbacks, the Mountaineers have consistently demonstrated their resilience and fighting spirit. They have achieved impressive wins against highly ranked opponents, including #1 Baylor in 2017, #2 Ohio State Buckeyes in 2019, and #3 Gonzaga in 2024. WVU has also posted multiple winning streaks, showcasing their ability to bounce back from losses and maintain a competitive edge.
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WVU's ranking compared to rivals
West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team, also known as WVU, has had a rich history in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The team has had notable wins and rankings over the years, and their performance has often been compared to that of their rivals.
One of WVU's main rivals is the Pittsburgh Panthers, also known as Pitt, located about 80 miles north of WVU's campus. This rivalry has been West Virginia's most-played men's basketball rivalry, with 184 games played between 1906 and 2012. WVU currently leads the series with a record of 97-88. In terms of rankings, WVU has had the upper hand at times, such as when they were ranked #10 and defeated Pitt in a shocking upset in the 2012 season. However, there have also been times when Pitt has ranked higher, such as when WVU lost to them while Pitt was ranked #4 in the country.
Another rival of WVU is the Maryland Terrapins, with a series history dating back to 1926. The rivalry has been primarily out-of-conference, except for a period when both schools were in the Southern Conference. Despite WVU's on-court success against teams like Gonzaga and Kansas, Maryland was ranked 25th while WVU was ranked 30th in the NCAA NET Rankings in 2025, which caused confusion due to Maryland's poorer performance in Quad 1 games.
WVU has also had notable games against other rivals, such as Virginia Tech, with whom they have an interstate multisport rivalry, and Penn State, with whom they played a series from 1906 to 1991. While WVU has had success against these teams at times, the rankings and results can vary from season to season, and the rivalries remain competitive.
WVU's performance relative to their rivals has been a topic of discussion, with some questioning why their rankings have not been higher despite notable wins. The team's rankings and performance have fluctuated, and they have had both impressive wins and disappointing losses over the years.
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WVU's ranking in 2025
As of February 2025, West Virginia University (WVU) has maintained its ranking as an R1 university, the highest possible research ranking. WVU is the only R1 institution in West Virginia and one of 187 colleges and universities nationwide to earn the latest prestigious classification.
WVU's ranking in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #220. According to the 'University Ranking' category of QS 2025, WVU ranks #1001, which is a decline from its 2024 ranking of #801.
WVU's men's basketball team has had a successful season in 2025. The Mountaineers defeated #2 Iowa State 64-57 with Javon Small scoring 27 points. They also defeated #3 Gonzaga at the Battle 4 Atlantis with a final score of 86-78 in overtime. The Mountaineers earned a #7 ranking after winning the first six games of the season, but lost the seventh game to #7 Duke. They posted another seven-game win streak, including a win over #5 Villanova, before losing to Virginia Tech. The Mountaineers ended the season with wins over Pittsburgh and George Washington and swept the Southern Conference tournament for a third straight season.
In terms of NCAA NET rankings, WVU has been ranked as low as 32nd, which has been deemed confusing given their wins over higher-ranked teams.
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WVU's ranking in 2024
West Virginia University's (WVU) men's basketball team has had a rich history of success, with 13 conference tournament championships and 31 appearances in the NCAA tournament, including two Final Fours. In 2024, the team had notable wins and rankings. On November 27, 2024, WVU upset #3 Gonzaga at the Battle 4 Atlantis, marking the first signature win in the Darian DeVries era. On December 31, 2024, WVU upset #7 Kansas 62-61 at Allen Fieldhouse, securing their first-ever win there and breaking Kansas' conference opener win streak.
WVU's ranking in the 2024-25 season saw some fluctuations. After defeating highly-ranked opponents, they only rose by two spots from 32nd to 30th in the NCAA NET Rankings, surprising many. WVU's ranking of 30th in the NET Rankings for 2024 confused some commentators, who felt that their position was too low given their wins over higher-ranked teams. The team's ranking fluctuated throughout the season, reaching as high as #5 and dropping as low as #11. They posted several notable winning streaks, including ten straight victories, but also experienced losses to teams like NYU and Virginia Tech.
WVU's men's basketball team has a strong following and a history of success, with a passionate rivalry against Pittsburgh, dating back to 1906, and a more recent rivalry with Maryland. The team's performance in 2024 showcased their ability to compete with top-ranked opponents, upsetting several higher-ranked teams. While their ranking in the NCAA NET Rankings for 2024 may have been a point of contention, their achievements on the court and their dedicated fanbase kept them in the spotlight.
In terms of academic rankings, WVU was placed in the top 2.4% of worldwide universities by the Center for World University Rankings in 2024. The university also received the highest possible research ranking, R1, from the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Additionally, WVU's robotics team was the best in the world in 2022-23, showcasing the university's excellence in robotics.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2024, the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team was ranked 56th in the country in the preseason rankings.
WVU Men's Basketball is in the Big 12 Conference.
The Mountaineers have appeared in 31 NCAA Division I tournaments, including two Final Fours.
They have won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) twice, in 1942 and 2007.
As of January 19, 2025, WVU Men's Basketball was ranked 30th in the NIT rankings.
