In a thrilling showdown in Portland, the Texas Longhorns pulled off a remarkable feat, becoming the first team in five years to advance from the NCAA Tournament’s First Four to the Sweet 16. With a gritty 74-68 victory over Gonzaga, the Longhorns, under first-year coach Sean Miller, showcased resilience and determination.
Jordan Pope and Matas Vokieaitis each contributed 17 points, while Camden Heide delivered a clutch 3-pointer that sealed the game. This victory sets the stage for an exciting matchup against either Purdue or Miami in the West Region semifinals in San Jose.
The Longhorns' journey hasn't been a smooth one. Entering the tournament as the 11th seed with a 21-14 record, they had lost five of their last six games.
Their First Four win over N.C. State was less than convincing, but they’ve found their stride when it mattered most.
The last team to make such a run from the First Four was UCLA in 2021, who went all the way to the Final Four.
Gonzaga, led by Graham Ike's impressive 25 points, struggled to find consistent secondary scoring. Despite being favored by 6.5 points, the Bulldogs couldn’t maintain their early momentum. Coach Mark Few’s squad, which had reached the Sweet 16 in nine consecutive tournaments, faced an unexpected exit in the second round for the second year in a row.
With 40 seconds left, Ike’s dunk brought Gonzaga within one point at 69-68. However, a strategic timeout by Miller led to Heide finding space in the corner, where he confidently sank his only basket of the game, a decisive 3-pointer. Vokieaitis then secured the win with a breakaway layup.
Texas, leading 35-33 at halftime, made it difficult for Gonzaga to score in the closing stages. Dailyn Swain’s dunk gave the Longhorns a 57-54 lead, and Pope’s late-game heroics, including a crucial 3-pointer, kept Texas ahead.
This marks Texas’ 15th Sweet 16 appearance and the ninth for Coach Miller, who previously led Arizona and Xavier to regional semifinals. Meanwhile, Gonzaga, playing in their 27th tournament, faced a disappointed yet supportive crowd as they look ahead to joining the reconstituted Pac-12.
In a tournament filled with surprises, Texas stands out as the first double-digit seed to advance past the initial rounds, proving that persistence and timely execution can overcome the odds.