Why Texas Will Upset Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament

The Texas Longhorns are among the most popular storylines in the NCAA Tournament. They have continued their run, and after a first-round upset over the BYU Cougars, will move on to face the top-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs.

It won't be an easy matchup for Sean Miller or his team, tasked with playing an NCAA Tournament regular who knows how to win when the moment is too large for their opponent.

Everyone loves a Cinderella story, rooting for the underdog to pull off the upset, and the Longhorns could be the next team to do so as they match up well against the Bulldogs.

Weathered Againt Top Opponents

Gonzaga Bulldogs Head Coach Mark Few — Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few looks on against the Pacific Tigers in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. | James Snook-Imagn Images

The Longhorns have proven to be one of the more volatile teams in the country this season, and that holds even in the NCAA Tournament. After escaping with a win in the First Four against the NC State Wolfpack, they controlled their round of 64 win against the Cougars, but now they will face a team that knows how to dominate games.

Undoubtedly, the game will be decided by the battle for the points in the paint, as that is where the Bulldogs like to play their style of offense. They rank first in the country, averaging 44.7 points per game in the paint while allowing only 25.1 to opponents.

The Longhorns are more than capable of finding their own offensive production in the paint as well, scoring 38 against the Cougars in their round of 64 win. Matas Vokietaitis led the team with 23 points and is a lethal big man on offense when he finds his rhythm.

For the Bulldogs, though, they play in a weaker conference and are less battle-tested than the Longhorns. In two of their big losses, including to the Saint Mary's Gaels, they scored only 28 points and allowed 14. That issue was exacerbated in their blowout loss to the Michigan Wolverines, 101-61, as the Bulldogs allowed 42 points in the paint against a physical team.

For Miller's team, finding a way to dominate the pain, whether that is through using Vokietaitis aggressive style of play, or Dailyn Swain continuing to be shifty and fight his way through the defense to get under the basket, the Bulldogs have shown they have a clear weakness when playing tougher teams.

If the Longhorns can win the battle in the paint, and even more so using it to help out their offense on the perimeter because of it, it will be a critical piece of pulling off the upset.

The Longhorns and Bulldogs will tip off on March 21 at 6:10 p.m. CT

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