3 Takeaways from Texas Longhorns' Major Upset Win vs. Gonzaga

The Texas Longhorns season just got a whole lot sweeter as they survived another round of the NCAA Tournament, booking their spot in the Sweet Sixteen.

The Longhorns will be headed to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in year one under head coach Sean Miller as Texas pulls off another upset, knocking off the No. 3-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs 74-68.

Texas will now head down from Portland, OR, to San Jose, CA, for the Sweet Sixteen as the Longhorns will await their opponent, as they will take on the winner of the matchup between the No. 2-seeded Purdue Boilermakers and the No. 7-seeded Miami Hurricanes. Taking a look at the Longhorns' second upset of the tournament, here are three takeaways from the win.

Experience Pays Off in March

Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Pope reacts after a basket in the second half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

The Longhorns have several players up and down their roster with plenty of games under their belts and who have multiple years of college experience, with the likes of sixth-year senior Tramon Mark, seniors Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver, and juniors Dailyn Swain and Camden Heide. And all of that experience is peaking at the right time for the Longhorns.

Pope put together his best game of the NCAA Tournament, ending the night with 17 points while shooting nearly 40 percent from the field to go along with three assists and a rebound. While Swain didn't have his biggest scoring night, ending with 11 points, he still impacted the game in a major way with six rebounds, six assists, and a steal.

Weaver once again had his usual high-energy performance off the bench with eight points, three rebounds, a steal and a block. And of course, Heide, who has played in big-time games in the NCAA Tournament with Purdue, steps up to make the biggest and his only made shot of the night with a dagger three-pointer in the corner to slam the door and book Texas' ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.

Matas Vokietaitis Keeps Battling

Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis dribbles against Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Vokietaitis had a tough assignment heading into Saturday night's battle against the Bulldogs, having to match up against third-team All-American forward Graham Ike, who was Gonzaga's leading scorer, averaging 19.7 points per game while shooting 56.9 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Ike did find success against the Longhorns as he ended the night with a game-high 25 points, shooting 10 of 22 from the field and 1 of 4 from beyond the arc. However, Vokietaitis stayed the course and battled all night long as he tallied 17 points, shooting 7 of 11 from the field while also bringing down nine rebounds and had two assists.

And above all, the Longhorns' big man didn't foul out and was able to stay in for the entire game as he ended the night with just three fouls.

Nic Codie Provided Valuable Minutes

Texas Longhorns forward Nic Codie reacts after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

While Nic Codie's performance won't be one of the top headlines of the Longhorns' upset victory, his 26 minutes in the game were key to securing the victory.

Off the bench, the sophomore recorded a season-high 12 points, shooting 4 of 5 from the field along with four rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. An impactful option behind Vokietaitis allowed the Longhorns to continue their normal style of play.

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