Gonzaga's Defense Slips, Season Ends in Upset Loss to Texas in Round of 32

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Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) drives against Texas Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis (8) in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images [/caption]

Since forward Braden Huff went down with a dislocated knee in the middle of January, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have been able to cover up the holes in their playstyle, primarily by dominating on the defensive end.

But in the second round of the NCAA tournament, the 11-seeded Texas Longhorns pieced together an excellent offensive performance against the 3-seeded Zags. They shot 51.7% from the field, the best mark an opponent of GU has posted since Portland downed Gonzaga on February 4, and the fourth-highest clip it’s allowed all season. Texas also only turned the ball over five times, the Bulldogs’ lowest forced turnover total on the year.  

Yet, the Zags still had an opportunity to win the game, down just a point with 32 seconds to go. But another lapse defensively resulted in a crushing three from the corner out of the hand of Camden Heide, and the Zags’ response afterward was jarring. Mario Saint-Supéry then missed short on an out-of-sync three; no Longhorns were fouled, and Mark Few left the court with a timeout in his pocket as Gonzaga fell 74-68, their season coming to an end before the Sweet 16 for the second straight year.

“We just couldn’t get [a stop] on that last possession,” Few said. “…That was about, really, what it came down to, was kind of just, our lack of being able to get stops down the stretch.”

Third-team All-American Graham Ike sports a headband during games, set around his cornrows. It flew off during a physical battle for a rebound in the final minute of this game, but it didn’t bother Ike as he proceeded to slam a left-handed flush to bring GU within a point of the Longhorns. Few called his second-to-last timeout afterward, with his team needing a stop for a chance to win the game.

Gonzaga defended well for about 20 seconds on the next possession, but Tyon Grant-Foster helped too much as Tremon Mark worked in the paint, leaving Heide – who is by far Texas’ best shooter from the outside – free for three.

Not electing to call a timeout, the shot GU got on the ensuing possession was a Mario Saint-Supéry contested triple that rimmed off into Dailyn Swain’s hands. Ike was the closest Bulldog to Swain, but having already picked up four fouls, he couldn’t touch him. Swain then launched an outlet pass to Matas Vokietaitis, who was out in front of Emmanuel Innocenti and had the leverage for a game-sealing layup.

Ike’s headgear was off again as he walked to the endgame handshake line, with the redshirt senior visibly frustrated with how his final collegiate game ended. What began as a stark difference offensively from its ugly win versus Kennesaw State ended in a crushing defeat that ultimately slipped away.

GU was clicking in the half-court on all cylinders to open the game. There was plenty of off-ball movement, the basketball wasn’t sticking, and even though they missed their first six attempts from three-point range, the Bulldogs’ tries from distance were mainly open and in-rhythm. They also were stout defensively; every shot Texas put up to open the contest was ill-advised and with a contesting hand in the vicinity, logging three airballs in the early going.

But the Longhorns adjusted in the final five minutes of the first half. They attacked an area against Gonzaga that few teams have been able to – the paint. Pushing the ball inside, Texas attacked for layups at the rim and in the dunker’s spot instead of settling for shots on the perimeter, ending the game with 46 points in the paint. Due to being undersized on the block, the 6-9 Ike was forced to front his matchup on the post, 7-0 Matas Vokietaitis. Once lofting entry passes were made, other Bulldogs rotated to help Ike, which were either late or set up easy looks for cutters.

The Longhorns’ ball-handlers also stopped trying to go downhill against Emmanuel Innocenti and Jalen Warley, with their previous attempts being stifled. And by taking care of the ball at an elite level, the Longhorns were able to prevent the Zags from affecting the game as much defensively. Ending the half on a 15-5 run and making its last seven field goal attempts, Texas took a three-point lead into the locker room.

“Lot of credit to Texas. Our defense has been great all year, and they stung us pretty good, especially in that second half,” Few said.

Ike had to work for his 25 points that he collected on 10-of-22 shooting, but he pulled in only three rebounds. Vokietaitis totaled nine boards to go along with 17 points. With the physicality between the two big men, GU needed others to make plays with the ball in their hands, but the unit continued to struggle in areas that it has all season.

Guard play was something to watch as the year went on, and the Longhorns’ Jordan Pope, a former Oregon State Beaver, dropped 17 points, draining clutch shots down the stretch while Adam Miller and Braeden Smith played just nine and eight minutes, respectively. Saint-Supéry couldn’t alleviate some of the pressure on Ike’s shoulders, hitting just one of his six three-point tries. Davis Fogle and Tyon Grant-Foster each had some timely, tough buckets, but neither was efficient. Warley and Innocenti had moments, particularly in the first half, where they were able to attack the rim, but they couldn’t replicate that in the final 20 minutes.

The main benefactors in the Longhorns’ rotations were Nic Codie and Chendall Weaver, who combined for 20 points off the bench after Texas got only seven points from its reserve unit in the 79-71 win over BYU on Thursday. In comparison, GU got only 13 points from a bench unit that slowly dwindled over the course of the season.

Initially, the Bulldogs were able to adapt around Huff’s injury, but the straw finally broke the camel’s back. His absence was felt immensely, as the 6-10 big was one of the most efficient players in the country, shooting 66.2% from the field in 19 games played. The injury placed Ike in the spotlight as the offense’s focal point, where he performed admirably, but also showed the leakiness in the depth behind him. Buying into a better defensive unit in the offseason, perhaps GU swung the pendulum too far, with a severe lack of creation from its wings and guards that truly separate programs in March.

Now Gonzaga will head to the offseason, where it prepares to enter a new conference, the revamped PAC-12, after missing out on the second weekend of the NCAA tournament two years in a row.