After a dramatic First Four win over the NC State Wolfpack and a convincing Round of 64 win over the BYU Cougars, the Texas Longhorns face their toughest challenge of the postseason — taking on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in what is effectively a home game.
The Bulldogs have been a perennial power under Mark Few, claiming yet another West Coast Conference regular season and tournament title on their way to the NCAA Tournament. Led by its front court, forward Graham Ike sets the pace for Gonzaga, averaging
19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, the offense flows through his size and skill down low.
They seemingly took a hit to the lineup when their other star forward, Braden Huff, went down with a knee injury earlier in the season. At the time, he was averaging 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in his 18 starts.
Gonzaga has been a blowout artist this year as well, with the nation’s best average scoring margin of +18.8 points per game. Despite that, Texas is just a 6.5-point underdog according to FanDuel. A close matchup would be a welcome change from the last time these two teams squared off — a 19-point drubbing in favor of Gonzaga in the 2022-23 season.
After Texas closed the regular season and conference tournament in a lackluster fashion, many were convinced that they wouldn’t even be among the field for the big dance. However, after putting together a dramatic win over NC State and looking like the better team against a loaded BYU Cougars squad, Texas may turn itself into a Cinderella Story when its all said and done.
