West Virginia coach Randy Mazey watched and cheered and very likely fist pumped as his Big 12 rivals powered through SEC squads in early March.
Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor went a combined 6-3 against the likes of LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss in Houston, all emerging from the Shriners Hospitals For Children College Classic with a winning record and advancing a Big 12 call for national respect.
Nobody appreciated it more than Mazey, whose Mountaineers finished fourth in the conference a year ago, yet were left to observe the NCAA Tournament when the league garnered but three postseason bids for the second straight season.