No. 11 Texas stuns No. 3 Gonzaga, advances to Sweet 16

Longhorns overcome Bulldogs in second-round NCAA Tournament upset

Mar. 22, 2026 at 7:25am

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In a surprise second-round NCAA Tournament matchup, the No. 11 seed Texas Longhorns defeated the No. 3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs 74-68 to advance to the Sweet 16. Texas players Matas Vokietaitis and Jordan Pope each scored 17 points, while Camden Heide hit a key 3-pointer late to seal the victory for the Longhorns.

Why it matters

This is a major upset in the NCAA Tournament, as Gonzaga was widely expected to make a deep run. Texas, as an 11-seed, has now become the first First Four winner to win at least three games in the tournament since UCLA's Cinderella run to the 2021 Final Four.

The details

The game was close throughout, with Gonzaga's star player Graham Ike scoring 25 points before fouling out late. Texas was able to pull ahead in the final minutes, with Heide's 3-pointer giving them a 72-68 lead they would not relinquish. The Longhorns now advance to the Sweet 16, where they will face the winner of the Arkansas-High Point matchup.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 22, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.

The players

Matas Vokietaitis

A Texas Longhorns player who scored 17 points in the upset victory over Gonzaga.

Jordan Pope

A Texas Longhorns player who also scored 17 points in the win over Gonzaga.

Camden Heide

A Texas Longhorns player who hit a key 3-pointer late in the game to help seal the victory for the Longhorns.

Graham Ike

The West Coast Conference Player of the Year for Gonzaga, who scored 25 points before fouling out late in the game.

Jaden Warley

A Gonzaga player who had 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The Longhorns (21-14) will face the winner of the Arkansas-High Point game in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday in San Jose.

The takeaway

This upset victory by the 11-seed Texas Longhorns over the 3-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs is a testament to the unpredictability and excitement of the NCAA Tournament. As a First Four winner, Texas has now become the first team to win at least three games in the tournament since UCLA's Cinderella run in 2021, proving that anything can happen in March Madness.