The Texas Longhorns will play against the BYU Cougars in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. This first-round game in the West Region will take place at the Marriott Center in Provo, UT. The game is set for Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 7:25 PM ET.
Texas finished the regular season with an 18-14 record and a 9-10 mark in the Southeastern Conference. Last year, they lost to Xavier in the Midwest Region tournament game. They aim to improve their postseason performance this year.
BYU ended their regular season with a 23-11 record and an 11-10 record in the Big 12 Conference. In their recent games, they won against West Virginia and Kansas State but lost to Houston. Last year, they reached the Sweet 16, defeating VCU and Wisconsin before losing to Alabama.
BYU Preview
The BYU Cougars play in the Big 12 Conference. In the 2025 postseason, they had a strong run. They won against VCU and Wisconsin in the first two rounds. However, they lost to Alabama in the Sweet 16.
In the 2026 regular season, the Cougars had an overall record of 23-11. Their conference record was 11-10. This shows they had a good season overall, but faced challenges in conference play.
AJ Dybantsa is a key player for the Cougars. In a recent game against Kansas State, he scored 40 points. His performance helped the team win by 14 points.
The Cougars score an average of 83.9 points per game. This ranks them 30th in the nation. Their field goal percentage is 47.7%, placing them 44th overall. They also average 38.3 rebounds per game, ranking 64th.
Texas Preview
The Texas Longhorns play in the Southeastern Conference. In the 2025 postseason, they competed in the Midwest Region. They played against Xavier and lost 80-86. This game ended their postseason run.
During the 2026 regular season, the Longhorns had an overall record of 18-14. Their conference record was 9-10. These results show they had a challenging season.
Offensively, the Longhorns scored 83.8 points per game, ranking 32nd. They had a field goal percentage of 48.6, placing them 35th. They were strong at free throws, making 19.8 per game, which was 7th best.
On defense, the Longhorns struggled with steals and blocks. They averaged 5.8 steals and 2.9 blocks per game. They also had 18.8 fouls per game, which was high.
Statistical Breakdown for BYU vs Texas
The game between BYU Cougars and Texas Longhorns will be influenced by several key stats. Both teams have strong offenses, with BYU scoring 83.9 points per game and Texas close behind at 83.8. BYU has a slight edge in rebounding, averaging 38.3 per game compared to Texas’ 37.7. However, Texas excels in free throws, making 19.8 per game, which is among the best. On defense, BYU has better stats in steals and blocks, which could be significant.
- BYU Points Per Game: 83.9 (30th)
- Texas Points Per Game: 83.8 (32nd)
- BYU Field Goal Percentage: 47.7% (44th)
- Texas Field Goal Percentage: 48.6% (35th)
- BYU Rebounds Per Game: 38.3 (64th)
- Texas Rebounds Per Game: 37.7 (88th)
- Texas Free Throws Made Per Game: 19.8 (7th)
- BYU Steals Per Game: 7.2
- Texas Steals Per Game: 5.8
- BYU Blocks Per Game: 4.4
- Texas Blocks Per Game: 2.9
Betting Insights
As the Texas Longhorns prepare to meet the BYU Cougars, bettors have plenty of trends to consider. Texas has shown strength in scoring, with a high rate of games going over the total. Meanwhile, BYU has been solid against the spread, especially when favored. Here are the top betting insights for this game:
- Texas has hit the over in 9 of their last 10 games (90.0%).
- BYU is 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games (80.0%).
- Texas has gone over the total in 22 of 32 games this season (68.8%).
- BYU is 15-9-1 against the spread as a favorite (60.0%).
- Texas is 4-6 against the spread in their last 10 games (30.0%).
Free Betting Prediction for BYU vs Texas
The game between BYU Cougars and Texas Longhorns is expected to be close. Both teams have strong offenses, with BYU averaging 83.9 points and Texas at 83.8. BYU has a slight edge in rebounding and defensive stats, which could make a difference. AJ Dybantsa’s recent performance shows he can be a game-changer for BYU.
Texas has been effective at scoring, especially from free throws. However, their defense has struggled with steals and blocks. This could be a problem against a team like BYU that has better defensive stats. Texas will need to improve in these areas to compete with BYU’s strong offense and defense.
Considering the stats and recent performances, BYU seems to have the upper hand. Their ability to score and defend gives them a slight advantage. The betting trends also favor BYU, especially against the spread. With BYU favored by 2.5 points, they are likely to cover the spread in this game.
- Our Free Prediction: BYU -2.5
