West Virginia Moves Up, BYU and Virginia Hold Last NCAA Tournament Spots

Mountaineers secure hosting spot after Big 12 Tournament win, while bubble teams Virginia and BYU cling to final at-large bids

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

West Virginia improved its NCAA Tournament standing by winning the Big 12 Tournament, securing a hosting spot for the first two rounds. Meanwhile, Virginia and BYU are holding onto the final at-large bids, with the Cavaliers finishing the season 0-3 and the Cougars lacking any Quad 1 wins but having eight Quad 2 victories. The projected bracket also saw movement at the top, with Texas now the No. 3 overall seed and South Carolina dropping to No. 4.

Why it matters

The final spots in the NCAA Tournament field are highly coveted, as teams on the bubble fight to secure a bid to the Big Dance. West Virginia's tournament positioning improved significantly with its conference tournament win, while Virginia and BYU are in a precarious position as they try to hold onto the last at-large bids.

The details

West Virginia entered Sunday on the bubble but secured its spot in the NCAA Tournament by winning the Big 12 Tournament, causing a ripple effect in the projected bracket. North Carolina fell from a No. 4 seed to a No. 5, while TCU dropped from a No. 2 seed to a No. 3. At the top, Texas moved up to the No. 3 overall seed, switching places with South Carolina. Nine automatic bids have been handed out so far, leaving 22 conferences still to crown a champion.

  • On Sunday, West Virginia beat TCU to win the Big 12 Tournament.
  • On Feb. 22, Virginia won at Louisville, putting them one win away from locking up an NCAA Tournament bid.
  • On Monday, the MAAC Championship game between Fairfield and Quinnipiac will be played.

The players

Keytron Jordan

A CBS Sports writer who provided analysis on the women's college basketball bracketology.

West Virginia

A women's college basketball team that won the Big 12 Tournament, securing a hosting spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Virginia

A women's college basketball team that is holding onto one of the final at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, despite finishing the season 0-3.

BYU

A women's college basketball team that is also holding onto one of the final at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, despite having no Quad 1 wins but eight Quad 2 victories.

Texas

A women's college basketball team that moved up to the No. 3 overall seed in the projected NCAA Tournament bracket.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“West Virginia entered Sunday on the bubble of getting a hosting spot in the NCAA Tournament. But why leave your fate in the hands of the selection committee? By beating TCU and winning the Big 12 Tournament, the Mountaineers put themselves in an excellent position to stay in Morgantown for the first two rounds of March Madness.”

— Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports writer (cbssports.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.