The No. 11 seed Texas Longhorns look to continue their Cinderella run as they take on the No. 3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs in the second round on Saturday.
The Longhorns beat NC State in the First Four before upsetting BYU in the opening round, and my Texas vs. Gonzaga predictions are backing them in the Round of 32.
Here are my best free March Madness picks for this West Region contest on March 20.
Texas vs Gonzaga prediction
Who will win Texas vs Gonzaga?
Texas: The Gonzaga Bulldogs barely held off tiny Kennesaw State in the first round, and the Texas Longhorns are a far bigger threat.
The Zags are favored due to their higher-rated defense. However, the Longhorns' experience, offensive firepower, and power conference pedigree have me backing them as live dogs.
Texas vs Gonzaga best bet: Texas +6.5 (-110)
The Longhorns' biggest weakness is their 3-point defense (35.4%) and tendency to foul (307th in opponent FT rate). However, Gonzaga attempts threes at one of the lowest rates in the country while ranking just 277th in FT rate.
On the other side of the floor, the Zags have impressive defensive stats, but that's puffed up by weak competition in the West Coast Conference.
They struggled to defend more athletic teams earlier in the season, and Texas has a highly efficient offense. Gonzaga doesn't have a wing capable of locking up Dailyn Swain or a rim protector to contain Matas Vokietaitis.
COVERS INTEL: Since the start of January, the Zags are 345th in the country in 3PT% (29.7%) and 335th in 3-point rate (31%).
Texas vs Gonzaga same-game parlay
Matas Vokietaitis (15.7 ppg, 62 FG%) is often his own worst enemy since he tends to get into foul trouble, which can limit his minutes. However, he committed just two fouls against BYU, and the Zags do a poor job of attacking the rim and drawing contact.
If the Longhorns get a productive game from Vokietaitis and cover, they'll almost certainly eclipse their low team total.
Gonzaga hasn't faced many quality attacks this season, but has allowed 85+ points to Michigan, Alabama, Santa Clara, and Portland. The Zags even surrendered 82 points to Big Ten doormat Oregon, with Nate Bittle dominating inside.
Texas vs Gonzaga SGP
- Texas +6.5
- Matas Vokietaitis Over 14.5 points
- Texas team total Over 70.5
Our Big Dance SGP: Hook em' Horns
Crazier things happen in March than a high-scoring power conference squad upsetting a mid-major champ.
Let's shift our Texas bet to the moneyline and back Swain to drop 4+ dimes, which he has done in five straight games.
Texas vs Gonzaga SGP
- Texas moneyline
- Matas Vokietaitis Over 14.5 points
- Dailyn Swain Over 3.5 assists
- Texas team total Over 70.5
Texas vs Gonzaga odds
- Spread: Texas +6.5 (-110) | Gonzaga -6.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Texas +200 | Gonzaga -245
- Over/Under: Over 147.5 (-110) | Under 147.5 (-110)
Texas vs Gonzaga betting trend to know
The Longhorns have gone Over their team total in 17 of their last 25 games (+7.70 Units / 27% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Texas vs. Gonzaga.
How to watch Texas vs Gonzaga
| Location | Moda Center, Portland, OR |
| Date | Saturday, March 21, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | TBS, truTV |
Texas vs Gonzaga key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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