Texas kept its improbable March run rolling on Saturday night, taking down No. 3 Gonzaga 74-68 at the Moda Center in Portland in a game that refused to loosen its grip until the final seconds. A clutch corner three from reserve Cam Heide with 14 seconds left, followed by a breakaway dunk from Matas Vokietaitis, finally slammed the door on the Zags. The win sends the Longhorns into the West Regional Sweet 16 and stretches Sean Miller's debut season in Austin into the regional semifinals.
Heide drilled the decisive right-corner three with 14 seconds to play, and Vokietaitis immediately cashed in a breakaway dunk to lock in the upset, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Jordan Pope and Vokietaitis each finished with 17 points, while reserve Nic Codie came off the bench for a season-high 12. Texas shot a blistering 51.7% from the field, connected on five three-pointers, and calmly knocked down 7 of 9 free throws to close it out.
Sweet 16 Awaits In San Jose
The victory sends Texas to its 15th Sweet 16 appearance and its first since the 2022-23 season. The Longhorns will head to the West Regional in San Jose to meet the winner of Miami and Purdue, according to the tournament bracket on Wikipedia. Regional semifinals are set for the week of March 26 in San Jose, Calif. That path, which already includes a First Four win and Saturday's comeback against Gonzaga, has Texas planted firmly in the deeper end of the bracket.
Miller Hits Coaching Milestone
The run also underscores a milestone season for coach Sean Miller, who logged his 500th career victory earlier in the year and now owns 24 NCAA Tournament wins, placing him among the top active coaches, per the Houston Chronicle. Miller's first campaign in Austin has turned into a late surge in March, and his postseason rotations and in-game strategy will stay under the microscope as the Longhorns gear up for San Jose. His mix of experience and tactical tweaks helped Texas weather a rugged, physical night in Portland.
What To Watch
Texas leaned on balance and late-game poise to survive a tense second half, and it will need the same composure out West. Protecting the ball, cashing in at the free-throw line, and getting timely production from the bench will go a long way in deciding whether this March story has another chapter. Back in Austin, fans will be watching matchups and lineups closely as the Longhorns try to stretch this improbable run into the weekend.
