Only two other states are sending as many Division I basketball programs to the Big Dance as Virginia.
Virginia schools account for five teams in the NCAA Tournament’s field of 68, tied with Texas and New York for the most from a single state.
The University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, Liberty and Old Dominion all punched their tickets to the tournament. The commonwealth has not had more than three programs make the bracket since 2011, when mid-majors George Mason, Hampton, Old Dominion, Richmond and VCU all played.
Virginia is a No. 1 seed for the fourth time in six years, leading the South Region, one year after the Cavaliers became the first No. 1 to lose to a No. 16 in tournament history. They drew No. 16 Gardner-Webb in this year’s bracket.
No. 4 Virginia Tech, No. 8 VCU and No. 12 Liberty are all in the East Region. Old Dominion joins the Cavaliers in the South Region as a No. 14 seed.
The Hokies, one of the top teams in the ACC throughout the year, play No. 13 St. Louis in the first round Friday. VCU drew No. 9 UCF.
The Liberty Flames won the Atlantic Sun Tournament in their first year in the conference and will play No. 5 Mississippi State on Friday, and the Old Dominion Monarchs will open Thursday with No. 3 Purdue after winning the automatic bid from Conference USA.
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