The West Virginia Mountaineers are bringing some hardware back to Morgantown.
WVU women's basketball entered Sunday ranked 15th nationally and the second seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and had reeled off two straight wins in the tournament quarterfinals and semifinals to earn the opportunity to play in the championship game.
The Mountaineers were looking for their first Big 12 Tournament title since 2017 and seeking one final Quad 1 win to boost their resume in hopes of earning a 4-seed or higher in the NCAA Tournament. But to do so, they needed to knock off the top seed and regular season conference champions No. 10 TCU, who defeated the Mountaineers twice in the regular season.
But the Mountaineers looked like a completely different team against the Horned Frogs than they did in a pair of narrow losses in the regular season, as they ran out to a halftime lead before jumping out to as high as 14-point lead in the second half.
WVU's always consistent defense was crucial, and West Virginia forced 11 Horned Frog turnovers and held a TCU offense that averages 78.3 points per game to just 33% shooting from the field and 53 points. And despite a late rally by the Horned Frogs, they never came closer than six points from the lead in the final frame as the Mountaineers secured a 62-53 victory.
NO. 15 WEST VIRGINIA KNOCKS OFF THE DEFENDING BIG 12 TITLE CHAMP NO. 10 TCU 😤
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 8, 2026
The Mountaineers secure their first conference championship since 2017 👏 pic.twitter.com/5sERrRFcIb
"I'm just so happy. I'm just so thankful," senior Jordan Harrison said with tears in her eyes after the game. "It's been amazing. These girls are my sisters...I'm just so happy I can't think."
West Virginia becomes the first No. 2 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament Championship, and capture just their second-ever Big 12 Tournament Championship – and their first under Mark Kellogg's tenure as head coach. The win over TCU also gives the Mountaineers their fourth Quad 1 win of the year and wins over two teams ranked the Top 11 in the NET Rankings, which many assume will earn them a 4-seed in the Big Dance.
The Mountaineers were led by Jordan Harrison with 21 points in the win, as she went 5-of-10 from the field and 10-of-10 at the free throw line. Sydney Shaw added 17 points in the win, while Kierra Wheeler chipped in 10 points.