Editor’s note: this story will be updated each day this week in the lead-up to Selection Sunday, when the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket will be revealed.
It’s Championship Week and for teams like BYU, Utah State, Utah Valley and even Utah Tech, it’s that last opportunity before Selection Sunday to make an impression before the 68-team men’s basketball NCAA Tournament field is released.
BYU and Utah State enter their respective conference tournaments as locks to make the NCAA Tournament, while Utah Valley and Utah Tech are two of the top three seeds in the WAC tournament and are in good position to earn the league’s automatic bid.
Among other in-state Division I programs, Weber State was eliminated from the Big Sky tournament Monday night, while Utah and Southern Utah face long odds to win their respective conference tournaments and an automatic NCAA bid.
Could the state of Utah be represented by three schools in this year’s NCAA Tournament? We’ll find out between now and Sunday.
The Deseret News is taking a look at the latest men’s basketball bracketology projections, as in-state teams go throughout the week. Check back each day for how those projections change based on results.
Tuesday update
For now, three Utah schools — BYU, Utah State and Utah Valley — are showing up in the latest bracketology updates.
Today’s games for Utah schools
Big 12 tournament (T-Mobile Center, Kansas City)
- No. 16 Utah vs. No. 9 Cincinnati, 1 p.m. MDT (ESPN+)
- No. 10 BYU vs. No. 15 Kansas State, 5 p.m. MDT (ESPN+)
BYU’s current outlook
- ESPN: No. 6 seed, vs. No. 11 UCF in first round, West Region
- CBS Sports: No. 6 seed, vs. No. 11 Missouri in first round, West Region
- USA Today: No. 6 seed, vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) in first round, West Region
- NCAA.com: No. 6 seed, vs. No. 11 Santa Clara in first round, West Region
- Hoops HQ: No. 6 seed, vs. No. 11 VCU/Stanford winner in first round, South Region
NET ranking: No. 24; KenPom ranking: No. 25; WAB (Wins Above Bubble) ranking: No. 23
Utah State’s current outlook
- ESPN: No. 8 seed, vs. No. 9 TCU in first round, South Region
- CBS Sports: No. 8 seed, vs. No. 9 Saint Mary’s in first round, Midwest Region
- USA Today: No. 7 seed, vs. No. 10 Texas in first round, Midwest Region
- NCAA.com: No. 8 seed, vs. No. 9 Iowa in first round, South Region
- Hoops HQ: No. 9 seed, vs. No. 8 Georgia in first round, Midwest Region
NET ranking: No. 29; KenPom ranking: No. 36; WAB ranking: No. 34
Utah Valley’s current outlook
- ESPN: No. 13 seed, vs. No. 4 Gonzaga in first round, West Region
- CBS Sports: No. 13 seed, vs. No. 4 Gonzaga in first round, West Region
- USA Today: No. 13 seed, vs. No. 4 Purdue in first round, East Region
- NCAA.com: No. 13 seed, vs. No. 4 Gonzaga in first round, West Region
- Hoops HQ: No. 13 seed, vs. No. 4 Alabama in first round, Midwest Region
NET ranking: No. 85; KenPom ranking: No. 90; WAB ranking: No. 79