The Good, Bad, and Ugly in Texas Longhorns Upset Win vs Gonzaga

The No. 10-seed Texas Longhorns are officially headed to the Sweet 16. Yes, you read that correctly. On Saturday night, head coach Sean Miller and the Longhorns upset the Gonzaga Bulldogs to advance to the third round of the NCAA Tournament with an 84-78 win.

Once again, Texas didn't look like a bottom seed in the NCAA Tournament. They didn't just knock off the Bulldogs in dramatic fashion, they outlasted their opponent both in toughness and execution. Gonzaga made it close in the final minute, but a 5-0 run from the Longhorns would inevitably seal the win.

As always, there were good, bad, and ugly takeaways from Texas' upset win, but it's hard to ignore the bigger picture: The Longhorns are playing their best basketball at the perfect time.

The Good- Matas Vokietaitis Has Become a Problem

Texas Longhorns' center Matas Vokietaitis — Mar 21, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) and forward Nic Codie (10) react after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Matas Vokietaitis has been one of Texas' most impactful starters this season. That much is well known across Longhorn Nation. The Longhorns' center has averaged 15.7 points and 7.1 rebounds this season, giving Miller a consistent scorer in the paint.

While Vokietaitis had his moments during the regular season, he's become unconscious during the month of March. After putting up 23 points and 16 rebounds against the BYU Cougars only days ago, he once again shined for Texas with 17 points and nine rebounds against an arguably stronger Gonzaga squad.

The Bad - Rare Loss in Rebounding Battle

Mar 21, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Jalen Warley (8) blocks Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

While this year's Texas squad isn't necessarily known for their rebounding, the Longhorns had only lost the rebounding battle six times headed into the Gonzaga game, all of which were losses.

Texas could have been better on the glass against the Bulldogs and got fortunate to come away withy the win this time around despote losing the battle on the boards. Gonzaga out rebounded Texas 34-29 on Saturday night, keeping the Bulldogs within striking distance late in the game.

The offensive rebounding was particularly impactful. Gonzaga won offensive rebound battle 9-5, creating some second-chance opportunities. That's the kind of thing that can punish a team, especially this late into March.

If Texas can clean up the offensive rebounding, even in the smallest way, they can better control the pace of the game and avoid giving opponents extra scoring chances.

The Ugly- Another Letdown in Spokane

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few — Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few reacts during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Kennesaw State Owls at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Under head coach Mark Few, Gonzaga has become a powerhouse in the West Coast Conference. But the last few years have left the Bulldogs unsatisfied. Despite putting together some premier rosters in the past few years, Gonzaga still has yet to claim a national championship.

The Bulldogs have been to the NCAA Tournament Final twice in the last 10 years, but were bested by both the 2021 Baylor squad and the 2017 North Carolina squad.

In this case, the Bulldogs may have just run into a Longhorns' squad that was playing good basketball. But that doesn't change the reality that Gonzaga once again fell short of expectations in the NCAA Tournament. It's a familiar outcome for a program that has reached the brink of a title but still hasn't been able to finish the job.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.