Texas keeps Cinderella run
Play‑in Texas upset Gonzaga to reach the Sweet 16 — a continuing Cinderella story that pushed the Longhorns into the tournament’s second weekend. The win is listed among the biggest March Madness upsets so far and reshapes a bracket full of busted picks. (sportingnews.com) (cbssports.com)
No. 11 Texas beat No. 3 Gonzaga 74–68 on March 21, 2026 in Portland, Ore., closing the game at the Moda Center. (espn.com) Jordan Pope and Matas Vokietaitis each finished with 17 points for Texas, and junior Camden Heide — who played 13 minutes — buried a corner 3 with about 14.7 seconds left that effectively sealed the win. (espn.com) First‑year Texas coach Sean Miller said his team isn’t a “Cinderella,” and CBS notes Miller became one of the few coaches to take three different programs to the Sweet 16 after advancing with Texas. (espn.com) Texas is now 21–14 on the season after the victory and became the first First Four team in five years to advance to the Sweet 16, a feat the AP says last occurred with UCLA in 2021. (espn.com) The Longhorns will travel to San José’s SAP Center for the West Regional Sweet 16 matchup and will face the winner of No. 7 Miami vs. No. 2 Purdue on Thursday, March 26. (cbssports.com) Gonzaga, which entered the game 31–4 this season, will miss the Sweet 16 for a second straight year after its streak of nine consecutive Sweet 16 appearances ended earlier in the decade. (sports-reference.com) Sporting News and other outlets have listed Texas’s run from the First Four into the regional weekend among the tournament’s most significant surprises to date. (sportingnews.com)
