94.91 percent of the NCAA Tournament brackets picked the No. 3-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs (31-3, 16-2 WCC) s to advance into the Round of 32 in the West region. The Zags did exactly that against the No. 14-seeded Kennesaw State Owls out of the Conference USA in Portland, Oregon, 73-64. Although, it was far from pretty.
Survive and advance is the name of the game in March. Doesn’t matter if it’s ugly. Just get it done. Helps that coach Mark Few’s unit had a home-court advantage and will continue to in the second round at the Moda Center.
The No. 11-seeded Texas Longhorns (20-14, 9-9 SEC) beat star freshman forward AJ Dybantsa and No. 6-seeded BYU Cougars in the earlier first-round test in Portland, 79-71. Dybansta, a future NBA top-5 pick this May, was unstoppable with his 35 points on 11-for-25 field goals/12-for-12 free-throw shooting and 10 rebounds. But it was evident that the full potential of coach Kevin Young’s group is limited without senior guard Richie Saunders, who tore his ACL in his right knee back on Feb. 14.
The true lovers of the West Coast Conference in Gonzaga’s final go-around wanted BYU badly, with the two having a deep history in the league together from 2011 to 2023. It’s now a change in the scouting report, more focused on Texas’s 7-0 sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis. He has averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds per game in his first two March Madness games this year. 6-9 Ike and seven-foot sophomore center Ismaila Diagne off the bench will have their hands full with him down low. This is the pivotal defensive matchup to pay attention to in this second-round matchup.
On the lighter side: During the postgame media availability for the Zags before the second round on Friday, March 20, Ike put on his journalist cap and asked a very reasonable question. This team seems to be in good standing despite the early first-round struggles.
Under coach Sean Miller, the Longhorns have now won two games in the last three days after starting out in the First Four in Dayton. His team snuck into the NCAA Tournament behind a highly efficient offense that averages 83.2 points per game (tied for No. 29 in the nation). Now, they’re red hot and playing their best basketball of the season.
Miller spoke with the media before the matchup with the Zags, a school that he has the utmost respect for.
“I think one day down the road, people will reflect on what he’s done at Gonzaga. It’s almost like a movie that’s too good to be true. How you can have that much success in Spokane, Washington, at Gonzaga for that long?” – Sean Miller on Gonzaga
Texas Player to Watch For
2025-26 season averages: team-high 17.6 points on 54.1 field goal percentage/34.4 three-point percentage/82.1 free throw percentage, team-high 7.5 rebounds, team-high 3.5 assists, team-high 1.7 steals per game
He’s the best NBA prospect on this roster from Austin, Texas. Swain is a swifty type of competitor who can finesse his way to the hole. He’s far from a reliable threat from beyond the arc and is at his best off the dribble in one-on-one situations. The Xavier Musketeers transfer followed Miller after two seasons in the Big East Conference from 2023-25, and has turned into his go-to guy for a quick basket.
Gonzaga’s Keys to the Game
Similar to the opening round preparation for Kennessaw State, winning the test on the boards needs to be the focal point. Amongst all college basketball programs, Gonzaga ranks No. 21 in rebounds per game at 40.1 per game. Texas stands at No. 60 with 37.9 per game. Don’t give the Longhorns too many second-chance opportunities, or they will make you pay for it.
Spread the offensive wealth
Texas was locked in the obvious assignment of trying to shut Dybansta in the first round and failed. Their mindsight is wanting to do the same with Ike, preventing the team-leading scorer at the source.
The likes of senior wing Jalen Warley and freshman wing Davis Fogle need to continue to find ways to get buckets. This looks to be a high-octane scoring affair, with Gonzaga at 84.8 per game (No. 19 in the country) throughout 2025-26.
Texas vs. Gonzaga Betting Odds
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Gonzaga is the favorite over Texas by 6.5 points. Moneyline for the Zags is at -250 and +202 for the Longhorns. The over/under is set at 147.5.
Gonzaga will face Texas at 4:10 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 21, on TBS for a spot in the Sweet 16 out at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The Zags are seeking their 10th Sweet 16 appearance in 11 years, only missing last postseason in 2024-25.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
