The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Texas Longhorns Win vs. NC State in March Madness

Playing in the 'First Four', the Texas Longhorns pulled out a thrilling victory against the NC State Wolfpack

Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller walks the court during a practice session ahead of the first four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns aren't finished with their 2026 season just yet, and still want to play at least one more game of basketball on the year after advancing to the field of 64 in the NCAA Tournament.

After being relegated to the 'First Four' of the annual March Madness tournament, the Longhorns avoided a late-game collapse to preserve a close victory in Dayton thanks to a game-winning shot from Tramon Mark and now have a Round of 64 matchup set against the BYU Cougars.

What was the good, bad, and ugly of the win for the Longhorns and for the Wolfpack as their 2026 season comes to an end?

The Good - Team Offensive Production

Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) goes to the basket in the second half against the NC State Wolfpack during a first four game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

For the Longhorns this season, Dailyn Swain has been the most significant proponent of their offense, which ranks among the top in the country. That was no different in the victory against the Wolfpack, but this time, there was offensive production throughout the roster as well.

Mark led the team in scoring with 17, Matas Vokietaitis contributed 15, and Chendall Weaver had 11 in the contest, giving the Longhorns four different scorers in double-digits. If the Longhorns want to continue their run, finding production top to bottom will remain paramount.

The Bad - Struggles Closing Out

NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams (1) reacts in the first half against the Texas Longhorns during a first four game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The theme for the Longhorns in their losses, especially near the season's end, was their continued struggle to close out games and maintain a strong lead. That problem reared its head against the Wolfpack, nearly blowing a eight-point lead with less than two minutes in the game.

Mental mistakes with little turnovers, and finding themselves trapped in the corner, needing to call a timeout to advance the ball and avoid giving the ball away in a critical time, were once again apparent. The Wolfpack scored nine points in just over a minute to give the Longhorns a scare, and it is something that will need to be addressed if they look to keep moving on during their tournament run.

The Ugly - NC State's Rebounding

Texas Longhorns guard Chendall Weaver (2) makes a lay up during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Rebounding has been a problem for the Wolfpack all season long, ranking 190th in the country after averaging 34.5 per game on the year. The Longhorns, on the other hand, average 37 rebounds per game, which ranks 69th in the country, and were a major difference-maker in their victory in the opening round.

Chendall Weaver led the Longhorns in their dominant wins on the boards, finishing as the only player with double-digit rebounds in the affair with 10. They would out-rebound the Wolfpack 45-33, including a whopping 15-7 difference on offensive rebounds, playing a key part in the Wolfpack's inability to find a rhythm on offense.

The Longhorns will face off against the six-seed Cougars on Thursday, March 19, at 6:25 p.m. CT