PORTLAND, Ore. — Gonzaga is back in a familiar position — playing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the 17th consecutive time.

No. 3 seed Gonzaga (31-3) will face No. 11 seed Texas (20-14) on Saturday at the Moda Center. Tipoff is set for 4:10 p.m. PT, and the game will air on TBS.

The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 and play either Miami, Missouri, or Purdue.

This will be the sixth overall meeting between Gonzaga and Texas, with the Zags leading the all-time series 4-1. The last meeting in 2022 saw the Longhorns upset then No. 2 GU 93-74. The Bulldogs won the previous four meetings, dating back to 2001.

About No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs

No. 3 seed Gonzaga enters the second round with a 31-3 overall record after a 73-64 win over No. 14 seed Kennesaw State in the opening round.

Graham Ike led the way with 19 points, while Davis Fogle added 17 and Jalen Warley recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Gonzaga’s defense held the Owls to 36.2% shooting, including just 3-of-17 from 3-point range.

The Zags have now won at least one NCAA Tournament game in 17 consecutive tournaments, becoming just the second program in history to accomplish that feat.

Gonzaga is 48-27 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with 14 Sweet 16 appearances, six Elite Eight trips, two Final Fours and two national championship appearances.

This marks Gonzaga’s 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 28th overall — the third-longest active streak in the country.

The Bulldogs have also reached the 30-win mark for the ninth time in program history and first since the 2022-23 season.

Leading the way is WCC Player of the Year Graham Ike, who continues to anchor Gonzaga on both ends. Ike, a third-team AP All-American, has scored 2,550 career points — the most among active Division I players — and is one of the nation’s most productive big men.

Gonzaga’s depth remains a strength, with eight different players leading the team in scoring in a game this season and 11 players reaching double figures at least once.

Tyon Grant-Foster is Gonzaga’s only other double-digit scorer, averaging 11.2 points and 5.0 rebounds. The Bulldogs’ next top scorers are Davis Fogle (8.7), Mario Saint-Supery (8.6), Adam Miller (7.4), and Jalen Warley (7.0).

As a team, Gonzaga ranks among the nation’s best in multiple categories, including assist-to-turnover ratio, scoring margin and field goal percentage. The Zags lead the country in points in the paint at 44.5 per game and have dominated opponents inside the arc all season.

GU averages 85.1 points per game, 39.9 rebounds, 8.5 steals, 9.7, and turnovers while shooting 51% from the field, 34% from 3-point range, and 69.9% from the free throw line. 

The Zags will be without star forward Braden Huff for the 16th straight game after suffering a dislocated kneecap earlier in the season. 

Gonzaga is ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll and No. 12 in KenPom, with the 9th-ranked defensive efficiency rating and 31st-ranked offense.

Head coach Mark Few continues to add to his legacy, entering the tournament with 44 NCAA Tournament wins — fourth-most among active coaches — while also being named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

About No. 11 Texas Longhorns

No. 11 seed Texas enters the second round with a 20-14 record after advancing out of the First Four and first round.

The Longhorns are looking to continue their run as a double-digit seed and pull off an upset against a Gonzaga team that has been dominant in early-round NCAA Tournament games.

In the First Four, Texas beat NC State 68-66, before upsetting No. 6 seed BYU 79-71 in the first round.

Since the First Four was added to the NCAA Tournament in 2011, five teams have advanced from the First Four to the Sweet 16 or further. 

Texas brings a physical approach and will look to slow down Gonzaga’s efficient offense while creating opportunities in transition, as the Longhorns have the 212th-ranked tempo rating at KenPom. In Texas’s pregame press conference, head coach Sean Miller said they put an emphasis on getting to the free throw and getting players in foul trouble early.

Through the two NCAA Tournament games, Texas’s 7-foot center, Matas Vokietaitis, attempted 23 free throws and knocked down just 10. Vokietaitis and Ike will likley be battling down low all game. Ike got into foul trouble against KSU, so that will be something to watch for. 

The Longhorns average 83.3 points per game, 37.7 rebounds, 5.8 steals, 2.9 blocks, and 11 turnovers while shooting 48.6% from the field, 35.5% from 3-point range, and 75.2% from the charity stripe.

Texas is led by four double-digit scorers, including 6-foot-8 guard Dailyn Swain (17.6 ppg, 7.5 rebounds), Vokietaitis (15.7 ppg, 7.1 reb), 6-foot-5 senior guard Tramon Mark (13.8 ppg), and 6-foot-1 senior guard Jordan Pope (13 ppg).

At KenPom, Texas is 33rd overall, with the 16th-ranked offense and 85th-ranked defense.

Gonzaga vs. Texas betting odds, preview, prediction

Gonzaga enters the matchup as -6.5-point favorites after extending its streak of opening-round NCAA Tournament wins. The over/under is set at 147.5.

The Zags have been one of the most reliable teams in the country when facing lower-seeded opponents under Mark Few, going 33-9 as the higher seed and losing just five times to lower-seeded teams since 2009.

The Pick: After trailing by as many as seven to Kennesaw State, and shooting just 17% from 3-point range, I think laying the points with Texas would be the move. 

How to watch Gonzaga vs. Texas

Gonzaga and Texas will tip off at 4:10 p.m. PT on Saturday at the Moda Center in Portland. The game will air on TBS, with streaming available on the March Madness Live app.