3 takeaways from BYU’s NCAA Tournament loss to Texas

— BYU’s trip to the Big Dance has come to an abrupt end. The 6-seeded Cougars added a new entry to their long list of NCAA Tournament first-round losses, suffering a 79-71 upset at the hands of the 11-seeded Texas Longhorns Thursday at Portland’s Moda Center. BYU finishes the season 23-12 — and with the most bitter of tastes in its mouth.

pic. twitter. com/YkdBXmcBZL — BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) March 20, 2026 3 takeaways BYU was blown out in the rebounding department.

Texas out-rebounded the Cougars by a 40-31 margin, including a 21-11 difference in the first half alone. But it was 16 offensive rebounds for the Longhorns that ultimately buried BYU, as Texas followed its own misses with 16 second chance points. The Cougars had no answer for Longhorns center Matas Vokietaitis, who scored 23 points down low while grabbing 16 boards.

Conversely, BYU’s own starting big man Keba Keita ended the night with just five rebounds. Texas forward Dailyn Swain (3) controls the ball while guarded by BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) during a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament held at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.