SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Three West Coast Conference teams were selected to the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship as No. 12-ranked Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara earned bids. The West Coast Conference joined the Big Ten, the Big 12, the SEC, the ACC and the Big East as the only conferences with at least three NCAA Tournament selections. Sunday marked the first time since 2022 and the fourth time in conference history the conference had three NCAA bids.
“Today is a testimony to the investment made in men’s basketball across our conference,” said West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson. “The commitment to excellence; illustrated by our roster of coaches, proven by the drive of our student-athletes and supported by the forward-thinking across our leadership defines the West Coast Conference as we look ahead. I celebrate these three programs, led by Mark Few, Randy Bennett and Herb Sendek who each have over 550 Division I victories. They have fully earned the opportunity to compete in this national championship.”
In addition, for a record seventh consecutive tournament and 12th time in the last 14 events, West Coast Conference men's basketball teams earned multiple bids in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs earned the automatic qualifier after defeating the Broncos in the championship game of the 2026 Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Championship this past Tuesday. Saint Mary’s earned an NCAA bid for a record fifth consecutive season. Santa Clara will compete in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996.
In the last seven NCAA Tournaments, 16 West Coast Conference teams have earned a berth since the 2019 season and 14 have been the better seed in their opening game. A West Coast Conference team has reached the Sweet 16 in nine of the previous 10 tournaments and played for a national championship twice.
The Bulldogs, the 2026 Co-West Coast Conference Regular Season champions and champions of the Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Basketball Championship, earned a No. 3 seed and will play No. 14 seed Kennesaw State in Portland. Co-West Coast Conference Regular Season champions Saint Mary's garnered a No. 7 seed and will play No. 10 seed Texas A&M in the first round in Oklahoma City. Santa Clara earned a No. 10 seed and will play No. 7 seed Kentucky in St. Louis.
No. 3 seed Gonzaga (30-3, 16-2) will play No. 14 seed Kennesaw State in Portland, Ore. on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. PT on TBS. The Zags will make their 27th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the third-longest current streak in the nation. The Zags are 47-27 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and enter this year's field having only lost twice since the start of December. The Bulldogs enter the tournament with a top-20 scoring offense (No. 17, 85.1) and a top-20 scoring defense (No. 18, 66.0). National honors candidate Graham Ike is the 2026 West Coast Conference scoring champion, averaging 19.7 ppg. This will be the first-ever meeting between Gonzaga and Kennesaw State.
No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s (27-5, 16-2) returns to the NCAA Tournament for the 15th time in program history and the fifth consecutive year. The Gaels have earned spots in the bracket 10 times since 2010. SMC will face No. 10 seed Texas A&M in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Thursday at 4:35 p.m. PT on truTV. The Gaels enter the tournament with the seventh-ranked scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 64.6 points per game. The Gaels also rank No. 1 in the nation in free throw shooting at 80.5 percent. SMC is 1-1 all-time against Texas A&M with the most-recent matchup taking place on Dec. 16, 1995, an 83-55 win by Texas A&M at Saint Mary's.
No. 10 seed Santa Clara (26-8, 15-3) is returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996 when NBA standout Steve Nash led the Broncos into the tournament. The Broncos will face No. 7 seed Kentucky in St. Louis, Mo. on Friday at 9:15 a.m. SCU ranked No. 5 in the nation in scoring offense (87.2) and No. 11 in margin of victory (13.3) in conference games. Freshman standout Allen Graves was recently named a candidate for the Kyle Macy Award, which recognizes the top freshman in Division I. Graves averaged 11.6 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. Kentucky is 1-0 all-time against Santa Clara with the lone meeting taking place on Dec. 19, 2006, a 74-60 Kentucky win at Rupp Arena.
2026 NCAA Tournament Schedule (Times in PT)
No. 7 seed Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 seed Texas A&M
Thursday, March 19, in Oklahoma City, Okla., 4:35 p.m. on truTV
No. 3 seed Gonzaga vs. No. 14 seed Kennesaw State
Thursday, March 19, in Portland, Ore., 7:00 p.m. on TBS
No. 10 seed Santa Clara vs. No. 7 seed Kentucky
Friday, March 20, in St. Louis, Mo., 9:15 a.m. on CBS