BYU vs. Texas: Three thoughts entering NCAA Tournament matchup
Mar 18, 2026, 9:14 PM | Updated: Mar 19, 2026, 9:39 am
PORTLAND, Ore. – BYU basketball prepares to take on the Texas Longhorns in the First Round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
The path to getting here in the Rose City featured a lot more twists and turns than expected as BYU began the year as a preseason top-10 team in the AP Top 25 poll.
What has lived up to expectations is freshman star AJ Dybantsa. The former No. 1 overall recruit has been every bit the star that BYU expected him to be.
Dybantsa was named to the AP, NABC, and USBWA First Team All-American squads entering the NCAA Tournament.
Will Dybantsa be able to carry BYU as a freshman on a memorable run like other freshmen stars such as Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis, and Derrick Rose did for their programs on college basketball’s greatest stage?
We will find out starting on Thursday at 5:25 p.m. (MDT) on TBS and KSL NewsRadio, against a Texas team that already has one win under its belt in this tournament after taking down NC State, 68-66, in the First Four.
BYU vs. Texas: Three thoughts
Here are three thoughts entering the NCAA Tournament matchup between BYU and Texas.
AJ Dybantsa prepares for his NCAA Tournament debut. pic.twitter.com/zyesq3x3Fb
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 18, 2026
1. The stage is set for AJ Dybantsa
AJ Dybantsa has put together one of the greatest single seasons in BYU basketball history. Dybantsa is 45 points away from setting the record for most points scored by a freshman in college basketball since 2000. The man who currently holds that record? Kevin Durant, Dybantsa’s favorite player, and he put that record-setting season together at Texas in 2007.
Dybantsa has the opportunity to take down Durant’s alma mater.
BYU will need Dybantsa to go on a generational run if they hope to reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.
What will be interesting to watch in this matchup is which officiating crew is assigned to the game. For a group that hasn’t called a Dybantsa game before, will they be more inclined to call the excessive contact that he consistently draws, leading him to reach the foul line early and often?
Or will it be a crew familiar with Dybantsa from Big 12 games?
2. Dominate the glass
Who wins the rebounding margin will be something to watch if shots aren’t falling. Texas outrebounded NC State 45-33 in their First Four win in Dayton.
In BYU’s two wins in the Big 12 Tournament over K-State and West Virginia, BYU had the edge on the glass. In the one loss to Houston, BYU was beaten by five in rebounding.
Texas star Dailyn Swain, a potential NBA draft pick next summer, leads the Longhorns in rebounds at 7.6 per game, followed by center Matas Vokietaitis with 6.9.
BYU center Keba Keita leads the Cougars on the glass with 7.3 boards per game.
3. Strong start
BYU has tended to start slowly in games this season. They appeared to buck that trend last week in Kansas City with two of the three games, including against Houston, featuring BYU with a halftime lead.
Texas built up an early 10-point lead against NC State and was able to lead for all but three minutes in the win over the Wolfpack.
In toss-up matchups like this one, strong starts are important to surviving and advancing.
(6) BYU vs. (11) Texas
2026 NCAA Tournament – First Round
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
Location: Moda Center (Portland, Oregon)
Tip-off: 5:25 p.m. (MDT)/4:25 p.m. (PDT)
TV: TBS
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM only) — Pregame begins at 4:30 p.m. (MT)
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYUathletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
