- Matchup: Texas Longhorns vs BYU Cougars
- Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
- Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
- Broadcast: TBS
- Odds/Point Spread: Texas (+3)
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On Thursday, the BYU Cougars (23-11) will square off against the Texas Longhorns (18-14) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at the Moda Center. The Cougars enter the match as 3-point favorites according to Las Vegas bookmakers, with an over/under set at 158.
In their previous game, the Texas Longhorns achieved a narrow victory over North Carolina State, winning 68-66. The Longhorns were assessed 16 fouls, while North Carolina State faced 22. Texas hit 6 of their 16 three-point attempts and allowed North Carolina State to convert 14 of 18 free throws for a solid 77.8%. North Carolina State gathered 25 rebounds (2 offensive, 23 defensive) and had no blocks. They provided 10 assists and secured 8 steals. Defensively, Texas limited their opponent to a shooting percentage of 39.0%, allowing 23 of 59 shots to find the basket. The Longhorns made 10 assists, forced 7 turnovers, and nabbed 7 steals, gathering 38 rebounds in total, including 13 on the offensive end. At the charity stripe, Texas made 21 of 29 attempts, translating to a free throw percentage of 72.4%. They finished the game with a shooting percentage of 36.8% (21 out of 57), hitting 5 of their 17 shots from beyond the arc.
Tramon Mark played a crucial role in the last game, contributing 17 points on 7 of 14 shooting. He logged 33 minutes on the court, recorded 5 rebounds, and achieved a shooting efficiency of 50.0%, adding 2 assists to his tally.
Currently, Texas holds an 18-14 record for the season, averaging 83.8 points per game (26th in Division 1) on a shooting percentage of 48.6%. The Longhorns have been effective from behind the arc, connecting on 35.3% of their three-point attempts (237 of 671) and achieving 75.2% from the free throw line. Collectively, they are securing 37.7 rebounds per game and have amassed 394 assists, ranking 295th nationally in assists. Moreover, Texas averages 11.0 turnovers and commits approximately 18.8 fouls per contest.
Regarding their defense, the Longhorns generate an average of 9.4 turnovers per game while drawing 21.3 fouls. Currently, they rank 48th in the nation for assists surrendered, allowing 381 this season. Texas concedes a field goal percentage of 44.9% (837 of 1,864) and yields an average of 30.3 rebounds per game, with opponents shooting 36.0% from three-point range. They rank 260th nationally in points allowed, giving up 76.8 per game.
In their most recent outing, the BYU Cougars suffered a 73-66 loss to Houston. The Cougars secured 21 defensive rebounds and 8 offensive rebounds, totaling 29 for the matchup. They turned the ball over 17 times while recording 6 steals. Houston committed 17 fouls, allowing the Cougars 19 attempts at the free throw line, of which they converted 16 for an 84.2% success rate. When it came to three-point shooting, BYU made 8 of 17 attempts (47.1%) and ended the game shooting 41.2% overall by making 21 of 51 shots. The Cougars permitted Houston to shoot 44.8% by allowing 26 of 58 attempts. They also defended the perimeter poorly, as Houston shot 29.4% on three-pointers (5 of 17), whereas BYU shot 80.0% from the free throw line, hitting 16 of 20 attempts. In terms of rebounds, BYU allowed Houston to secure 36 total rebounds (13 offensive).
AJ Dybantsa emerged as a key player for the Cougars, scoring 26 points on 7 of 18 shooting at a 38.9% conversion rate, while also pulling down 5 rebounds over 40 minutes of play, contributing 2 assists.
BYU currently holds a record of 23-11 for the year. The Cougars average 15.8 personal fouls per game while converting 74.6% of their free throw attempts. They assist on 13.5 baskets per game (ranking 206th nationally) and average 10.9 turnovers each outing. With 2,853 points scored this season (83.9 per game), BYU collects 38.3 rebounds on average, while shooting 47.7% from the floor, putting them at 43rd nationally.
Defensively, BYU ranks 226th in the country for points allowed per game at 75.3. They force their opponents into 11.6 turnovers each game and allow them to shoot 44.3% from the floor (ranked 187th nationally). The BYU defense concedes 35.3% shooting from three-point distance (288 of 816), with opponents converting 71.3% of free throws. Conceding 14.7 assists and 34.2 rebounds per game, BYU ranks 281st and 166th in the nation respectively.
Who will prevail in tonight’s NCAA game against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Texas (+3)
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