West Virginia's NCAA Tournament Hopes Dwindle After Loss

Mountaineers now have just a 0.1% chance to make the Big Dance

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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West Virginia's chances of making the NCAA Tournament have taken a significant hit after a surprising loss to Utah. The Mountaineers now need to win 8 of their final 5 regular season games and the Big 12 Tournament to have a realistic shot at an at-large bid, which TeamRankings.com currently gives them just a 0.1% chance of achieving.

Why it matters

West Virginia was hoping to make the NCAA Tournament this year, but this latest loss has severely damaged their chances. The Mountaineers now face an uphill battle to even earn an at-large bid, putting more pressure on them to win the Big 12 Tournament to secure an automatic bid.

The details

After a win over UCF, West Virginia was projected to need 24 wins to make the NCAA Tournament. However, the loss to Utah has made that task much more difficult. The Mountaineers have 5 regular season games remaining and need to win 8 more games to reach that 24-win threshold. Sweeping their upcoming road trip, beating BYU, and finishing off sweeps against Kansas State and UCF, while also winning 3 games in the Big 12 Tournament, is seen as an incredibly tall order.

  • West Virginia lost to Utah on February 18, 2026.
  • The Mountaineers have 5 regular season games remaining before the Big 12 Tournament.

The players

Bob Huggins

Head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“I wouldn't say devastation because the reality is you're going to be on a plane on Friday. The gift and the curse, we talked about it, being in the Big 12 is you still have opportunities in front of you. Now, those opportunities can run out, and that's a reality. But you still have opportunities, and you still have all your goals in front of you. That's the truth. Two things can be true at once. You let a great opportunity slip tonight, that puts more pressure on your other opportunities.”

— Bob Huggins, Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

The Mountaineers will need to win out the rest of the regular season and then win the Big 12 Tournament to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

West Virginia's NCAA Tournament hopes are hanging by a thread after a disappointing loss to Utah. The Mountaineers now face an extremely difficult path to earn an at-large bid, putting immense pressure on them to win the Big 12 Tournament to keep their season alive.