Texas basketball no 'Cinderella' in NCAA Tournament, insists Gonzaga coach Mark Few
· Yahoo Sports
PORTLAND, Ore. — When it comes to hoops, Gonzaga brings a lot more clout than Texas basketball.
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After all, the Zags boast the second-longest active NCAA Tournament streak at 27 consecutive appearances and have won 29 tournament games over the past 10 years, which is more than any other squad in the country. In comparison, Texas has reached six consecutive NCAA Tournaments and has won six tournament games over the past decade, including Thursday’s 79-71 first-round triumph over BYU.
But don’t tell head coach Mark Few his No. 3 Zags (31-3) are favorites over 11th-seeded Texas (20-14) when the teams meet Saturday in a second-round contest in Portland's Moda Center.
“I mean, it's Texas, man,” Few said after his team’s Friday practice. “I mean, Texas has everything, usually: The resources, the student population. I wouldn't exactly classify this as some sort of Cinderella or anything here.”
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Texas guard Chendall Weaver (2) and forward Dailyn Swain react during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against BYU, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (Amanda Loman/Associated Press)But the facts say otherwise. Gonzaga had reached nine consecutive Sweet 16s before last year’s loss to top-seeded Houston in the second round. Texas, on the other hand, has survived the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament just once in the past 12 years.
And the Zags have achieved that level of success over a generation. Since Few took over the program for the 1999-2000 season, Gonzaga has never missed the NCAA Tournament while winning 773 games. That number, by the way, has lifted Few to No. 19 on the all-time list of Division I NCAA men’s basketball coaching wins and sixth among active coaches.
“I think one day down the road people will reflect back on what (Few) has done at Gonzaga, and it's almost like a movie that's too good to be true,” Texas coach Sean Miller said. “How can you have that much success in Spokane, Washington, and at Gonzaga for that long?
“I think what you catch onto is their ability to build a roster, to recruit internationally, to make great choices that fit who they are, to get it right year in, year out, decade after decade. There's a lot of things they've done in an historic fashion of excellence. But I don't think people give them enough credit for the talent, the roster building for that long of a stretch of time. It's incredible.”
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Based on thhe history alone, Texas remains a football school that dabbles in hoops. Gonzaga? It doesn’t even have a football program.
But Texas has faced off plenty over the past few years with schools that favor fast breaks over fast receivers and 3-pointers more than touchdowns. Think Duke and UConn in nonconference play this season, or Kansas and Kentucky in league play.
“We've always been an underdog, being at Texas, my three years here,” Chendall Weaver said. “I mean, we're kind of used to it. We're not really worried about it.”
Besides, the Longhorns need to worry more about Gonzaga forward Graham Ike (19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds a game) and a versatile rotation that goes 10 deep rather than a betting line that has the Zags favored by 6 ½ points.
“I don't feel like an underdog,” said Texas forward Nic Codie, who will likely see his share of action against Ike. “I feel like in no game are we an underdog. I feel like we can beat any team and match up with any team in America.”
And if America expects the Longhorns to lose Saturday? So be it, said laconic Texas guard Tramon Mark, who has 36 points, nine rebounds and six blocks in two NCAA Tournament games this year.
“Probably everybody else thinks that,” said the sixth-year senior. “So, we'll just rock with it. As long as we keep winning, we can be underdogs, overdogs, whatever. I really don't care.”