Longhorns Knock Off BYU in NCAA Tournament Opener, Set Up Date with Gonzaga
The Texas Longhorns are dancing deeper into March. In a first-round NCAA Tournament game Thursday night, Texas knocked off the BYU Cougars 79–71, a victory that felt more dominant than the final score suggests and one that could be the opening act of a surprisingly deep run.
Texas led by as many as 17 points and never trailed by more than one, controlling the pace and the paint from the opening tip. The Longhorns outrebounded BYU 40–31, turned 14 offensive boards into 16 second-chance points, and shot 47 percent from the field — a well-rounded performance that put the Cougars on their heels for most of the night.
The story of the game was Matas Vokietaitis, who was an absolute force in the paint. The big man finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds — a dominant double-double — hitting nearly 59 percent of his shots and controlling the glass on both ends. He was the engine that kept Texas grinding when BYU tried to claw back in the second half.
Tramon Mark was equally impressive. The guard dropped 19 points on 46 percent shooting, drained three of six from three-point range, and added four blocks — an unusual and invaluable combination of perimeter scoring and interior defense. Dailyn Swain rounded out the balanced attack with 14 points and six assists, running the offense with poise and efficiency.
BYU had a weapon of their own in freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa, who poured in 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. But it wasn’t enough. Texas held everyone else on the Cougars to just 36 combined points, and BYU’s three-point shooting was anemic — just 4-of-22 from beyond the arc.
"Our plan was we can't let (AJ Dybantsa) foul our team out and the other guys can't have good nights with his great night…
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 20, 2026
We were able to do that for most of the game."@TexasMBB's Sean Miller on facing AJ Dybantsa in the Round of 64 pic.twitter.com/MRNuXorPY7
The Longhorns showed they can win ugly and win pretty. Against BYU, they absorbed a star performance from a potential top NBA Draft pick and still walked away comfortable. That kind of resilience is what March runs are made of.
Next up for Texas is a second-round matchup Saturday night against the Gonzaga Bulldogs, tipoff set for 6:10 p.m. CDT at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
Gonzaga is always dangerous in March and always a tough draw, but this Texas team has the size, depth, and defensive versatility to match up. If Vokietaitis can continue to bully opposing bigs and the perimeter players stay hot, the Longhorns could be looking at a Sweet 16 — and beyond.
This is a Texas squad that doesn’t have a household name at the top of the roster, but has five or six guys who can hurt you on any given night. In a tournament defined by one-and-done moments, that kind of balance is genuinely dangerous. The Longhorns aren’t just happy to be here.
They’re playing like they expect to be here a while.
Hook ’em.
MORE ON LAST NIGHT’S WIN AND A LOOK AHEAD TO GONZAGA, PLUS NEWS FROM TEXAS A&M, TEXAS TECH AND HOUSTON CAN BE FOUND FURTHER DOWN THIS POST IN SPORTS.
The sexual abuse allegations against César Chávez have sent Austin scrambling to reckon with how — and whether — the city should continue to honor the late labor leader whose name is woven into its streets, murals, and annual traditions.
Community organizations including HABLA, PODER, and LULAC canceled the annual César Chávez March, which had been scheduled for March 28, citing “caution and respect for all parties,” while four Austin city officials — including Council Members Vanessa Fuentes and José Velásquez, Mayor Pro Tem José “Chito” Vela, and Travis County Attorney Delia Garza — issued a joint statement supporting the renaming of Cesar Chavez Street, the downtown corridor that bears his name after being rechristened from 1st Street in the early 1990s.
Cesar Chavez Street
East–west corridor through downtown Austin, Texas
PODCAST
Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec and New York Times‘ Texas politics reporter Lauren McGaughey to unpack the local fallout from the Cesar Chavez allegations and what could come next.
The swift local reaction mirrors a statewide and national wave of fallout following a New York Times investigation that outlined years of alleged sexual harassment and abuse, including claims that Chávez engaged in sexual misconduct with women and girls connected to the farmworker movement during the 1960s and 70s — allegations that, 32 years after his death, have drawn responses from Gov. Greg Abbott, who directed all Texas state agencies to stop observing Cesar Chavez Day and pledged to seek its removal from state law.
ABC News’ John Quiñones speaks to United Farm Workers co-founder and civil rights icon Dolores Huerta about the allegations that labor organizer Cesar Chavez sexually assaulted her.
Legal experts tell the American-Statesman that recent misconduct allegations against Travis County D.A. Jose Garza face a difficult road in court. While claims of withholding evidence are circulating online, the legal standard for proving misconduct is much stricter than the public discourse suggests. (Austin American-Statesman)
Garza is rejecting the claims.
Austin police conducted only 369 compliance checks in 2025 for 22,200 registered sex offenders, representing a 51% drop from the 756 checks per year average during 2023-2025, despite no legal changes eliminating random community check requirements.
The 2026 Warrant Amnesty Program is underway.
Have an active warrant or citation? Austin Municipal Court wants to help. Take advantage of the 2026 Warrant Amnesty program from Mar. 23-Apr. 17!
— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) March 19, 2026
– No appointment necessary
– Free services
– Spanish interpretation available
More info: https://t.co/ejiN3QhhpD or 512-974-4800
….… pic.twitter.com/3oVM8gUskd
A developing situation in Travis County this morning.
A former Pflugerville massage therapist charged with sexual assault now faces 14 additional charges involving sexual misconduct with nine victims, police said.
Austin police are investigating after a stolen car was found partially submerged in Lady Bird Lake on Wednesday morning. (Austin American-Statesman)
An SUV was found this morning submerged in Town Lake near Festival Beach. pic.twitter.com/nGdJ2nzkuB
— Austin Videos (@ATXVideos) March 18, 2026
A Williamson County man was taken into custody in connection with a fentanyl-related murder investigation.
A Cedar Park man is now facing even more serious charges after being arrested for a series of burglaries.
New details have emerged in an NTSB investigation into last year’s deadly I-35 crash that killed 5 people.
The City of Georgetown opened an improved half-mile portion of Southwestern Boulevard yesterday.
A check-in at the airport this morning:
The U.S. Department of Transportation chose the Lone Star State to help figure out how to make “air taxis” a reality.
Residents of Hutto will be without power for several hours overnight tonight.
An update from Pflugerville officials on the Stage 3 water restrictions:
Barton Springs Pool reopens tomorrow after a delay in routine seasonal maintenance.
As hydrilla tightens its grip on Lake Austin — with surveys last September finding an estimated 456 acres of the invasive plant, approaching its historic peak of over 500 acres recorded in 2012 and 2013 — environmentalists and city water officials are turning a wary eye downstream.
WEATHER
THURSDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
The record high temperature for March 20 is 94 degrees set in 2016
Our average high temperature for this date is around 73 degrees.
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Refinery operators in Corpus Christi say they’re racing to secure alternative water supplies to keep plants running and avoid potential shortages of gasoline and jet fuel in Texas and beyond, as the city scrambles to slow a fast‑moving water crisis. City officials warned this week that Corpus Christi could enter a water emergency in as little as two months — a threshold that would leave roughly six months before demand outstrips the available supply. (Texas Tribune)
The Trump administration recently announced that it would release 172 million barrels of oil from the country’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower oil prices amidst the war with Iran. Two of the United States’ four reserve sites are in Texas. (Texas Public Radio)
Harris County commissioners voted 3-1 Thursday to let many county workers choose a labor organization to advocate for workplace policy changes, elevate grievances and make recommendations to Commissioners Court, becoming the first county in Texas to do so. (Houston Chronicle)
A push for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo to resign has been delayed after a rodeo controversy.
The project in Anderson County is part of a broader U.S.-Japan investment push tied to energy, supply chains and security. (Dallas Morning News)
For Talarico, it doesn’t really matter whether Cornyn or Paxton wins their runoff battle. Either way, the Texas Democratic Senate candidate says he is running against the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt system. To flip the Senate seat, he says he is speaking to the hearts of voters, avoiding media echo chambers, and campaigning on being both pro-immigrant and pro-border security. Plus, Trump’s broken promises, Cornyn may be more corrupt than Paxton, Apostle Paul’s thoughts on God’s sausage, and a Shermanesque denial of the vegan accusations.
James Talarico joins Tim Miller before a live Bulwark audience.
(Episode from March 19, 2026)
The longer President Donald Trump drags out his endorsement of either Sen. John Cornyn or Ken Paxton, the more it is costing GOP donors as the two Senate combatants continue to throw money at each other instead of turning their attention to Democrat James Talarico. Host Jeremy Wallace breaks down the latest in the drama to court Trump’s political love. Plus, what exactly did James Talarico say about veganism that has Republicans vowing to defend BBQ? Finally, Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar force their way onto the show by verbally sparring in the pickup line at the airport – all in front of Wallace. The reason? Who is to blame for long TSA lines at airports around the nation.
(Episode from March 19, 2026)
A tragic drowning in Calhoun County.
Seven dogs were recovered during an animal cruelty investigation in far west Bexar County, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar. On Thursday, deputies initially responded to a call for “possible squatters” in an RV park.
A new study reveals Kerr County businesses are still struggling months after the deadly Fourth of July floods last summer.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The Texas Longhorns pulled off what most thought they couldn’t.
Matas Vokietaitis had 23 points and 16 rebounds, and No. 11 seed Texas knocked off sixth-seeded BYU 79-71 on Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, overcoming 35 points from Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa.
After needing to beat N.C. State on Tuesday in the First Four just to reach the first round, Texas (19-14) advanced to face third-seeded Gonzaga on Saturday in the West Regional. (Associated Press)
Texas postgame press conference:
SATURDAY, MARCH 21 – SECOND ROUND
TODAY
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
NBA: Full steam ahead.
Victor Wembanyama hit a 17-foot, pull-up jumper with a second left and the San Antonio Spurs wrapped up a playoff spot to end a six-season drought, beating the Phoenix Suns 101-100 on Thursday night. Wembanyama had 34 points and 12 rebounds. His winning jumper capped a furious final-minute rally to secure the top-six finish in the Western Conference. (Associated Press)
VICTOR. WEMBANYAMA. pic.twitter.com/Yt2EMaf0vf
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 20, 2026
The Spurs are off tonight, as are the Dallas Mavericks. The Houston Rockets host Atlanta.
COLLEGE BASEBALL: Another big SEC weekend for the Texas Longhorns.
on the Plains 📍#HookEm pic.twitter.com/aUNQybgeot
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) March 20, 2026
Just outside San Antonio lies a canyon filled with layers of history stretching back more than 100 million years.
Explore Government Canyon State Natural Area, where a single trail reveals an incredible story. Along the way, follow part of the historic Joe Johnston Route, a military wagon road surveyed in the late 1840s to help supply frontier forts in the Texas frontier.
But that’s only part of the story.
