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The 11th-seeded Texas Longhorns are headed to the Sweet 16 after a statement-making 74–68 win over No. 3 seed Gonzaga in Portland, continuing one of the most surprising runs of this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Texas, which entered the tournament through the First Four, leaned on clutch shooting and timely defense to close out the Bulldogs late. With the Longhorns clinging to a one-point lead after Gonzaga’s Graham Ike threw down a dunk with under a minute to play, Texas called timeout to set up the possession that defined the game.
Out of the break, Camden Heide delivered.
Inserted into the lineup for the final stretch, Heide drilled a corner three-pointer with 14.7 seconds left to give Texas a 72–68 cushion. Gonzaga’s Mario Saint-Supery missed a desperation three on the ensuing possession, and Matas Vokietaitis sealed the win with a layup.
Vokietaitis and Jordan Pope led Texas with 17 points each, helping the Longhorns improve to 21–14 on the season. The victory marks a historic milestone: Texas becomes the first No. 11 seed from the First Four to win at least three games in a single tournament since UCLA’s run to the Final Four in 2021.
Gonzaga, which entered the tournament with a 31–4 record, was led by West Coast Conference Player of the Year Graham Ike, who finished with 25 points. Jalen Warley added 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in the loss.
With the win, Texas advances to the second weekend and will face the winner of Miami and Purdue, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.
