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Oklahoma State, West Virginia Each Need a Win to Keep Postseason Chance
Both teams have struggled recently but need victories to stay in NCAA Tournament contention
Published on Feb. 24, 2026
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Oklahoma State and West Virginia are both in must-win situations as they try to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. The Cowboys have lost five straight games and need to win their final four regular-season contests to have a chance at an at-large bid. The Mountaineers have also hit a rough patch, losing two of their last three games. Both teams will face off on Tuesday in a crucial matchup, with the winner taking a big step towards securing a spot in the Big Dance.
Why it matters
With the regular season winding down, these two teams are fighting to keep their postseason dreams alive. A win would be a major boost for either squad's tournament resume, while a loss would severely damage their chances of making the NCAA Tournament.
The details
Oklahoma State has lost five straight games, including a double-digit defeat at Colorado in which they had 15 turnovers and shot just 5-of-23 from 3-point range. West Virginia has also struggled recently, blowing a late lead in a loss at TCU on Saturday. Both teams need to regain their form and secure a victory on Tuesday to stay in the NCAA Tournament conversation.
- Oklahoma State and West Virginia will face off on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
- Oklahoma State's final three regular-season games are Saturday at Cincinnati, March 3 at UCF, and March 7 at home against No. 5 Houston.
The players
Steve Lutz
The head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Ross Hodge
The head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Anthony Roy
The leading scorer for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, averaging 17.0 points per game.
Honor Huff
The leading scorer for the West Virginia Mountaineers, averaging 15.4 points per game.
What they’re saying
“They had good defense, but we did some things to shoot ourselves in the foot. Stuff that is uncharacteristic and not good basketball plays. Maybe we tried to make the hard pass when we had a chance to make the easy pass. It came back to bite us.”
— Steve Lutz, Oklahoma State head coach (statenews.net)
“For large stretches of the game, for both teams it kind of felt like, 'Ok, who actually wants to win this game today?' I didn't think either team played very well for most of the night, but I think the other team deserves credit for making the other play poorly. Whichever team ultimately decided they wanted to win the game, I thought would.”
— Ross Hodge, West Virginia head coach (statenews.net)
What’s next
The winner of Tuesday's game between Oklahoma State and West Virginia will take a big step towards securing an NCAA Tournament berth, while the loser will be in serious danger of missing the Big Dance.
The takeaway
This matchup between Oklahoma State and West Virginia is a crucial one for both teams as they fight to keep their postseason hopes alive. With the regular season winding down, each squad needs to regain its form and secure a victory to stay in the NCAA Tournament conversation.
