How BYU’s Win Over Texas Tech Shifts Their Seeding

The Cougars picked up a pivotal win over Texas Tech on Saturday night

Mar 7, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) and forward Keba Keita (13) reacts during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

On Saturday evening, the BYU basketball team put together one of its best performances of the season in a win over no. 10 Texas Tech. The Cougars played with excellent effort on defense, something that was lacking during BYU's three-game losing streak. They got important contributions from role players like Kennard Davis, Keba Keita, and Khadim Mboup.

That win was critically important for BYU's NCAA Tournament resume. Going into the game, opinions varied on BYU's projected NCAA Tournament seed. BYU's win over the Red Raiders may have shifted them up one seed-line.

Before BYU's Win Over Texas Tech

Going into the regular season finale, opinions varied on BYU's projected seed. Bracket Matrix compiles the top bracket projections on the internet. The top bracketologists projected BYU as high as a 6-seed and as low as a 9-seed, although only one bracketologist had BYU as a 9-seed. Below is where the top bracketologists projected BYU before the win over Texas Tech.

• 6-seed: 26%
• 7-seed: 66%
• 8-seed: 7%
• 9-seed: 1%

After BYU's Win Over Texas Tech

After BYU's win over the Red Raiders, nearly every bracketologist projected BYU to be either a 6-seed or a 7-seed. The majority of the bracketologists had BYU as a 6-seed.

• 6-seed: 54%
• 7-seed: 43%
• 8-seed: 3%

Of the brackets that were updated on Sunday, 59% projected BYU as a 6-seed and 41% projected BYU as a 7-seed.

Using the average projections from all the bracketologists on Bracket Matrix, BYU is the last 6-seed. The Cougars are narrowly ahead of the Kentucky Wildcats and the Saint Mary's Gaels for the final 6-seed. The Cougars leapfrogged the Wildcats after they lost to Florida at home on Saturday.

The priority going into the the Big 12 championship is to cling on to the final 6-seed. To do that, BYU will certainly need to avoid a first round exit against Kansas State. A second round win over WVU might be enough cement BYU as a 6-seed unless Kentucky goes on a run in the SEC tournament.

Big 12 Unveils 2026 Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket

On Saturday evening, the Big 12 released the 2026 men's basketball tournament bracket. BYU will be the 10-seed and will take on 15-seed Kansas State in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. A win over Kansas State would move BYU on to the second round to take on West Virginia. Below is the full 2026 bracket.

2026 Big 12 men's basketball tournament bracket | BYU On SI