Gonzaga is in familiar territory for the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The reigning West Coast Conference champions make it 27 straight appearances i
The reigning West Coast Conference champions make it 27 straight appearances in the big dance Thursday when they take the Moda Center floor for a matchup against Kennesaw State in a contest between the West Region's No.
3 and No. 14 seeds. The third trip to the Rose City in a three-month span for the Bulldogs, who dispatched Oregon in a December nonconference game at Moda and suffered a shocking upset to Portland eight weeks later at Chiles Center, will pit them against the Conference USA tournament champion Owls, who are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006. The winner of Thursday's first round matchup will take on or 11-seeded Texas on Saturday. The Longhorns advanced to the second round with a 79-71 victory over AJ Dybantsa and company prior to Gonzaga's game.A crowd that was once split between BYU and Texas followers transitioned into a very pro-Gonzaga crowd in the minutes leading up to tipoff, creating a very friendly atmosphere for the Zags as they warmed up for their first round tilt. A contingent of Owls fans were gathered in the section across from the team's bench, with pods of Longhorns and Cougars fans still occupying a solid chunk of seats. A significant portion of the BYU faithful didn't seem too upset over the results of the previous game to leave Portland without catching the night cap.If the Bulldogs are to make it 10 Sweet 16 appearances in the past dozen years, it sounds like they'll have to do without one of their best players. After his team heard its name called during the Selection Sunday show for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Mark Few was less than optimistic about Braden Huff's chances of playing in the first and — if Gonzaga gets by Kennesaw State — second rounds. "I don't think he's gonna be able to play this weekend or anything," Few said. "But he is jogging and shooting." Huff has not played since suffering a knee injury ahead of Gonzaga's road game at Washington State on Jan. 15. The team initially gave a 4-8 week timeline for his return, with the tail end of that window coming right at the start of the NCAA Tournament.Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Bulldogs On SI. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.2026 March Madness Upset Betting Predictions: Ranking the Most-Likely First Round Upset Picks
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