Vandal Men Take on #2 Seed Houston in First NCAA Tournament Game Since 1990

The University of Idaho men's basketball team will face a tough challenge against the Cougars in the opening round.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 10:32pm

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The University of Idaho men's basketball team, the #15 seed Vandals, will face the #2 seed Houston Cougars in the opening round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament tonight in Oklahoma City. This marks the first NCAA Tournament appearance for Idaho since 1990, after they won the Big Sky Conference Tournament Championship. The Cougars enter the game with a 28-6 record following their loss in the Big 12 Tournament Championship Game.

Why it matters

The Vandals are a heavy underdog against the powerhouse Cougars program, but this game represents a rare opportunity for the small-conference school to make a splash on the national stage of the NCAA Tournament. A win would be a massive upset and put Idaho basketball on the map.

The details

The Vandals earned their tournament berth by winning the Big Sky Conference Tournament, defeating Montana in the championship game. They enter the matchup with a 21-14 record. The Cougars, meanwhile, are 28-6 on the season after falling to Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament final. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Pacific Time at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, with live television coverage on Tru TV.

  • The game is set for Thursday, March 19, 2026.
  • Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Pacific Time.

The players

University of Idaho Vandals

The men's basketball team from the University of Idaho, a small public research university located in Moscow, Idaho. The Vandals are the #15 seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big Sky Conference championship.

Houston Cougars

The men's basketball team from the University of Houston, a large public research university located in Houston, Texas. The Cougars are the #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big 12 regular season title.

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What’s next

The winner of the Idaho-Houston game will advance to face the winner of the matchup between the #7 seed and the #10 seed in the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This game represents a rare opportunity for the University of Idaho men's basketball program to make a splash on the national stage of the NCAA Tournament. While they are heavy underdogs against the powerhouse Houston Cougars, a win would be a massive upset that would put Idaho basketball on the map.