Texas vs. BYU Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest NCAA Tournament First Round Odds
The Texas Longhorns are fresh off an exciting winner in the First Four earlier this week, hoping to continue their NCAA Tournament with an upset against AJ Dybantsa and BYU. McBets breaks down his best pick against the spread for Texas vs. BYU on Thursday evening.
McBets - March 19, 2026, 4:55 PM EDT
4 Minute ReadTexas vs. BYU Prediction: Can Longhorns Upset AJ Dybantsa, 6-Seed Cougars in NCAA Tournament First Round?
Texas vs BYU tips today as the Longhorns look to keep their run going after advancing past NC State, and this sets up as a tight game where grabbing points with Texas has real value.
Texas comes into this matchup fresh off a gritty win, and its identity is very clear. This is a team that thrives on physicality and getting to the free-throw line at an elite rate. The Longhorns run a 46% free-throw rate, one of the best marks in the country, and that alone keeps them competitive in games where the offense isn’t always flowing
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Texas vs. BYU Odds
Texas vs. BYU Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Thursday, March 19th, 2026
- Time: 7:25 PM ET
- Where to Watch: TBS
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Texas vs. BYU Prediction
Matas Vokietaitis is the engine behind that. The 7-footer ranks third nationally in fouls drawn per 40 minutes and constantly puts pressure on opposing frontcourts. Add in aggressive creators like Tramon Mark and Dailyn Swain, and Texas has multiple ways to manufacture points even when the half-court offense gets stagnant.
And that’s the key here. Texas doesn’t need to be pretty offensively to stay in games. It just needs to be physical, attack the rim, and live at the line.
On the other side, BYU is dealing with a completely different reality than earlier in the season. Since losing Richie Saunders, the Cougars have become far more reliant on AJ Dybantsa and Rob Wright to carry the scoring load. Dybantsa is elite and can take over any game, but the margin for error is much thinner now.
Over the last nine games without Saunders, BYU has still been solid offensively, ranking 25th in efficiency, but the defense has slipped to 119th. A big part of that has been opponents shooting over 40% from three, but it also highlights that this is not the same complete team it once was.
This matchup specifically neutralizes some of BYU’s advantages. Texas is not a three-point-heavy team, so it doesn’t rely on exploiting perimeter defensive weaknesses. Instead, it plays downhill and forces contact, which is exactly the type of game that can slow things down and keep it within one possession.
There’s also a stylistic contrast that favors the underdog. BYU wants to play through its stars and generate offense through shot-making, while Texas is comfortable turning this into a grind. When games get physical and half-court oriented in March, taking points becomes extremely valuable.
Texas vs. BYU Prop Pick
- 2 Unit Pick: Texas +3 (-120) Check out the best odds at BetMGM Sportsbook
Yes, BYU likely has the best player on the floor in Dybantsa, but Texas has the depth, physicality, and ability to control tempo enough to hang around all game.
In a matchup where possessions will matter and scoring could come in spurts, this number is simply too high.
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