Texas has plenty of schools representing the state in the NCAA Tournament. Learn about the participants—and which teams to pick for your March Madness bracket.
The state of Texas is one of the more successful states during March Madness, particularly in the women’s field. A study by BetMGM found women’s teams in Texas have had the fourth-greatest impact among U.S. states, putting forth six NCAA Tournament titles, three Final Four Most Outstanding Players, and two national championship-winning coaches. Men’s teams in Texas have had some shining moments, as well, with two tournament titles, two championship coaches, and one Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
That’s all looking at past tournaments, of course. How do Texas teams stack up in 2026? We’re diving into the participants in both the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament, plus some tips for filling out your bracket. Just remember, it’s March Madness, so chaos reigns supreme.
Teams from Texas in Men’s March Madness
There are seven teams from Texas in the men’s NCAA Tournament, including a pair that squeaked into March Madness. Here’s how they’re looking as the tournament begins. All times below are in Central Daylight Time.
Houston Cougars (2-seed)
The Houston Cougars came oh-so close to winning the school’s first-ever national championship last year. Alas, the Cougars got chomped by the Florida Gators and lost 65-63. But few programs have had such a steady dynasty over the past decade. Since the 2017-18 season, Houston has a record of 271-20. That timeframe includes three Sweet Sixteen finishes, plus trips to the Elite Eight, Final Four, and title game. This is the first time in five years the Cougars haven’t finished first in their conference, though that’s more due to the Arizona Wildcats having a phenomenal year. Houston might be slightly down from last season, but don’t count them out. Per usual, they have a stifling defense—their 62.9 points allowed per game is second in the nation. And though “defense wins championships” is a cliche, it’s often an accurate one.
This year’s record: 28-6
2026 first-round matchup: 15-seed Idaho (March 19, 9:10 p.m., truTV)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament runner-up (1983, 1984, 2025)
Bracket advice: If seeds hold, Houston would face Florida in the Elite Eight in a rematch of last year’s championship game. This time, the Cougars would be playing a de facto home game in Houston. Another Final Four feels within reach for this squad.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-seed)
Texas Tech might have the best collection of marquee wins in the entire tournament. The Red Raiders defeated Arizona and Iowa State on the road and Duke at Madison Square Garden in New York City. All three are top-five victories. Alas, Texas Tech got some bad news when star forward JT Toppin tore his ACL on February 17. He’ll miss the rest of the season, though Texas Tech still has plenty of talent on the roster. In Toppin’s absence, the Red Raiders will look to rely on Christian Anderson (third in the country in assists per game) and Donovan Atwell, who’s second in the nation in three-pointers made per game, shooting at an absurd 45.4%.
This year’s record: 22-10
2026 first-round matchup: 12-seed Akron (March 20, 11:40 a.m., truTV)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament runner-up (2019)
Bracket advice: With Toppin, the Red Raiders had a realistic shot at the Final Four. Without him, the team’s ceiling is probably the Sweet Sixteen. And if you’re truly pessimistic, Akron is a very good mid-major and could pull off an upset in the first round.
TCU Horned Frogs (9-seed)
TCU is getting this whole party started by playing in the very first Round of 64 game of the tournament on Thursday. That they’re even in the tournament at all is a testament to the resilience of this team and head coach Jamie Dixon. The Horned Frogs lost a stunner to New Orleans to open the season and had a few other perplexing losses throughout the year. But after winning eight of its final nine regular-season games—including victories over top-ten opponents Iowa State and Texas Tech—TCU cruised into the field with relative ease. Harker Heights native David Punch leads the … ahem, scoring punch with 14.3 points per game, and Xavier Edmonds’ 41.2% three-point field goal percentage is one of the better rates in the nation.
This year’s record: 22-11
2026 first-round matchup: 8-seed Ohio State (March 19, 11:15 a.m., CBS)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament Elite Eight (1968)
Bracket advice: TCU has been a 9-seed in three of its last four tournament appearances. Does that matter here? Probably not. Ohio State also ended the season on a hot streak, so, like many 8/9 matchups, this is truly a coin flip. Duke is likely defeating either team in the next round, however.
Texas A&M Aggies (10-seed)
The Aggies are ninth in the nation in scoring, putting up an impressive 87.7 points a game. The problem is that they also give up a ton of points. Still, Bucky McMillan has brought his exciting brand of Buckyball to College Station, and it’s far more entertaining to watch than the grind-it-out, pound the offensive boards Aggies teams of the past decade or two. The Aggies are 14th in three-point attempts and 12th in assists, as well. They’re led by a trio of transfers: Rashaun Agee, Marcus Hill, and Rylan Griffen, the latter of whom is from Dallas.
This year’s record: 21-11
2026 first-round matchup: 7-seed St. Mary’s (March 19, 6:35 p.m., truTV)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 (1951, 1969, 1980, 2007, 2016, 2018)
Bracket advice: St. Mary’s is a slight favorite in the opening round, but Texas A&M has the offensive firepower to pull the minor upset. That would almost certainly set up an intra-state matchup against Houston in the second round. It’s hard to see the Aggies pulling off that upset.
SMU Mustangs (11-seed in the First Four)
A month ago, SMU looked like a safe bet to make the tournament. Then, the Mustangs lost four games to close the regular season. The school did manage one win during the ACC Tournament, and that might have been enough to keep them in the field here. One point in SMU’s favor: star guard B.J. Edwards missed the team’s final six games, which coincided with that losing streak. He’s planning to return for the NCAA Tournament, and he makes a formidable combo with Boopie Miller and Jaron Pierre Jr. Collectively, they average just under 50 points per game. What’s going against SMU? Their First Four opponent is Miami (OH), a darling of the tournament who had an easy schedule but only lost one game all season. And the First Four is held in Dayton, so it’s essentially a home game for Miami.
This year’s record: 20-13
2026 first-round matchup: 11-seed Miami (OH) in the First Four (March 18, 8:15 p.m., truTV)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament Final Four (1956)
Bracket advice: SMU’s last two tournament appearances have each been one-point losses. Those were both better teams, but this one oddly seems to have a greater path toward victory. They’re favored in their game against the RedHawks, and Tennessee is a beatable matchup. A first-round upset is possible, though we wouldn’t fault you for having the Mustangs go out early.
Texas Longhorns (11-seed in the First Four)
Texas finished the year 26th in scoring and 13th in opposing rebounding percentage, yet they find themselves in the same spot as last year: in a First Four play-in game. The Longhorns lost to Xavier in the First Four last season, and now their head coach is the man who was coaching the Musketeers last year. Sean Miller’s first season of a six-year contract hasn’t inspired much hope, but maybe he can do better than Rodney Terry did last year and at least win a First Four matchup. Leading scorer Dailyn Swain followed Miller from Xavier to Texas, and guards Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope returned for one more shot at glory.
This year’s record: 18-14
2026 first-round matchup: 11-seed NC State in the First Four (March 17, 8:15 p.m., truTV)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament Final Four (1943, 1947, 2003)
Bracket advice: Texas already beat NC State once this season. A second victory is within reach. The Round of 64 matchup would be against BYU, which averaged 0.1 more points than Texas this season. We wouldn’t pick Texas to win, but at least it should be high scoring!
Prairie View A&M Panthers (16-seed in the First Four)
The Panthers finished eighth out of 12 teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, yet they’ll be representing the SWAC in the NCAAs after winning the conference tournament. Prairie View A&M has two players who are in the top 100 in scoring: Dontae Horne (29th with 20.2 points per game) and Tai’Reon Joseph (81st at 18.2 points per game). The Panthers have five players averaging at least one steal per game, though the team also turns it over quite a bit. Its -3.3 turnover differential is in the bottom 20 of all college teams. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. A few top teams this year are worse in that category, including Houston and Iowa State. However, the Panthers will have to make the most of their offensive opportunities, since their opponents typically have more possessions per game.
This year’s record: 18-17
2026 first-round matchup: 16-seed Lehigh in the First Four (March 18, 5:40 p.m., truTV)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament first round (1998), NAIA Tournament champions (1962)
Bracket advice: If you select the First Four games, the Panthers should put up a fight against Lehigh. The game against Florida in the Round of 64 will probably not be as competitive.
Teams from Texas in Women’s March Madness
This year’s women’s NCAA Tournament has six teams from the Lone Star State. Let’s start with a national championship contender. All times below are in Central Daylight Time.
Texas Longhorns (1-seed)
Since Vic Schaefer took over as the Texas head coach in 2020, the Longhorns have won at least 21 games every season and have surpassed the 30-win mark for the third season in a row. The Longhorns are also outscoring opponents by an impressive 28.3 points per game. This decade, Texas has reached three Elite Eights and one Final Four. That Final Four appearance happened last year, and it was their best tournament finish since the 2002-03 season. This is a veteran-laden team; forward Madison Booker and guard Rori Harmon are two of the key players who remember how close the team got to winning it all last season. They’ll look to get over the hump in this year’s tournament.
This year’s record: 31-3
2026 first-round matchup: Winner of 16-seed Stephen F. Austin/Missouri State (March 20, 3 p.m., ESPN)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament champions (1986)
Bracket advice: Texas is strong enough to reach the Final Four. And while the other 1-seeds would be slight favorites in any matchups, Texas has a great shot at a national title if there are upsets in other regions.
TCU Horned Frogs (3-seed)
TCU and Texas are both in the top ten in point differential; the Horned Frogs are outscoring opponents by 21.2 points per game. Olivia Miles and Marta Suarez are putting in a lot of those baskets. Both transferred to TCU this year, and they’ve thrived in their new Fort Worth environments. For the second year in a row, TCU won the Big 12 regular season title. The team sports a tenacious defense that held opponents to the second-lowest field goal percentage (33.7%) in the entire country. In the 2025 tournament, TCU posted the program’s best-ever finish, reaching the Elite Eight before falling to Texas. What will the Horned Frogs do for an encore this year?
This year’s record: 29-5
2026 first-round matchup: 14-seed UC San Diego (March 20, 11 a.m. ESPN)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Elite Eight (2025)
Bracket advice: The Horned Frogs could find themselves back in the Elite Eight again. The bracket’s 1-seeds are all super talented, however, so a run to the Final Four feels like a stretch.
Baylor Bears (6-seed)
Baylor has been a pinnacle of consistency this century. The Bears have only lost double-digit games in a season three times over that span, and haven’t had fewer than 20 wins in a season since 1999-2000. Unfortunately, conference and NCAA Tournament success has fallen off a bit. Baylor finished first or tied for first in the Big 12 an impressive 12 seasons in a row, a stretch that included two championships and six additional Elite Eight finishes. This year’s team is another strong one with a good mix of talent. Taliah Scott leads the scoring charge with an even 20 points per game, while Darianna Littlepage-Buggs is both a double-double machine and the owner of one of the coolest names in all of sports.
This year’s record: 24-8
2026 first-round matchup: Winner of 11-seed Nebraska/Richmond (March 20, 1 p.m. ESPN)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament champions (2005, 2012, 2019)
Bracket advice: If you believe in patterns, the Bears have won a championship every seven years since 2005. That means they’re due for another one this year. Realistically, the Sweet Sixteen seems like their ceiling. But hey, it’s called March Madness for a reason—anything can happen.
Texas Tech Lady Raiders (7-seed)
The Lady Raiders last made the NCAA Tournament in 2012-13; some players on this current roster probably hadn’t even yet picked up a basketball. But head coach Krista Gerlich, now in her sixth season, has done a great job turning the program around. The Lady Raiders reached the WNIT Super 16 in 2023 and the WBIT Quarterfinal in 2025, and now they’ll get to play under the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament. They’re led by a trio of guards: seniors Bailey Maupin and Snudda Collins and junior Jalynn Bristow. And if a game comes down to the closing seconds, Texas Tech may have an advantage: At 75.7%, the Lady Raiders are a top 50 team in free throw percentage.
This year’s record: 25-7
2026 first-round matchup: 10-seed Villanova (March 20, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament champions (1993)
Bracket advice: Feel good about penciling in Texas Tech into the second round. Unfortunately, LSU is a tough matchup for them. The Lady Raiders could pull off a shocker, but a Round of 32 exit feels like the most realistic result.
Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (16-seed in the First Four)
The Ladyjacks lost twice to McNeese State during the regular season, but they won the game that mattered most. Defeating the Cowgirls in the Southland Conference title game earned Stephen F. Austin a bid to the NCAA Tournament. It’s the second consecutive trip and fourth this decade for the Ladyjacks, and this iteration could be their best shot at the program’s first tourney victory since 2000. Eight of the nine players who have seen action on the court are guards, yet Stephen F. Austin is tied for 21st in defensive rebounds. And they shoot a ton of threes—their 25.3 attempts per game is 33rd in the country. The result is a balanced scoring attack, led by Frisco native Key Roseby with 13.2 points per game.
This year’s record: 25-9
2026 first-round matchup: 16-seed Missouri State in the First Four (March 18, 8 p.m., ESPN2)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996)
Bracket advice: The Ladyjacks could top the Bears in the First Four matchup, which would bring about a fun game against Texas in the Round of 64. That’s where the road likely ends for Stephen F. Austin.
UTSA Roadrunners (16-seed)
The University of Texas at San Antonio won the American Conference to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It’s only the third time the women’s program has reached the NCAA Tournament and first since 2009. The Roadrunners got here via their stout defense, which ranks 28th nationally in giving up just 57.8 points per game. During the four games of the conference tournament, UTSA ramped things up even more, allowing a meager 46.5 points to its opponents. On the offensive end, UTSA relies on Cheyenne Rowe, the team leader with 14 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and Ereauna Hardaway, a transfer from North Texas who’s first on the team in assists (4.7 per game) and steals (1.6 per game).
This year’s record: 18-15
2026 first-round matchup: 1-seed UConn (March 21, 2 p.m., ABC)
Best-ever finish: NCAA Tournament first round (2008, 2009)
Bracket advice: UTSA upsetting UConn would be the story of the century in women’s hoops. Great season for the Roadrunners, but it’s almost certainly ending on Saturday.
