WVU Hosts UCF in Regular Season Finale

Several Big 12 tournament seeding options remain for the Mountaineers

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The WVU men's basketball team hosts UCF on Friday night in the regular season finale. With a disappointing loss to Kansas State earlier this week, the Mountaineers find themselves in the 7th-10th seed range for the upcoming Big 12 tournament. The outcome of this game against UCF, as well as other conference matchups on Saturday, will determine WVU's final tournament seeding.

Why it matters

WVU is fighting to remain in contention for an NCAA tournament bid, so their seeding and first-round opponent in the Big 12 tournament will be crucial. The Mountaineers have lost four of their last five games, making this final regular season game an important opportunity to build momentum heading into postseason play.

The details

WVU is hosting UCF, who they previously defeated 74-67 on the road in February. The Mountaineers will honor their six senior starters, who have accounted for 82% of the team's scoring and 71% of its rebounding this season. UCF is also struggling, having lost two straight games, including an overtime loss to Oklahoma State.

  • The game tips off at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 5, 2026.
  • The rest of the Big 12 teams play their final regular season games on Saturday, March 6, 2026, so the final conference standings and tournament seedings won't be determined until after that.

The players

WVU Mountaineers

The WVU men's basketball team is fighting to improve their seeding for the upcoming Big 12 tournament.

UCF Knights

The UCF men's basketball team is the opponent for WVU's regular season finale, having previously lost to the Mountaineers earlier this season.

Honor Huff

A senior starter for WVU who has made 102 3-pointers this season, the second most in a single season in school history.

Ross Hodge

The head coach of the WVU men's basketball team.

Themus Fulks

The UCF point guard who scored 19 points and had 7 assists in the previous matchup against WVU.

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What they’re saying

“Their physicality and ability to make plays around the rim was so much better than ours. Like I said, not always in life, but sometimes you get what you deserve. We deserved this loss tonight.”

— Ross Hodge, Head Coach, WVU (dominionpost.com)

What’s next

The outcome of this game, as well as other Big 12 matchups on Saturday, will determine WVU's final seeding for the Big 12 tournament. The top 8 teams earn a first-round bye, while the remaining teams will play in the opening round games in Kansas City next Tuesday.

The takeaway

WVU is in a precarious position heading into the Big 12 tournament, needing a strong performance against UCF to potentially improve their seeding and keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive. The Mountaineers have struggled down the stretch, making this final regular season game a crucial opportunity to build momentum and confidence before the postseason.