Texas basketball vs. Gonzaga score, highlights: Horns hampered but push on to Elite Eight

This Sweet 16 matchup between top-seeded Texas and fourth-seeded Gonzaga looked to be a storyline of contrasting styles: the Longhorns' physical play down low and led by second-team All-American Madison Booker against hot-shooting Gonzaga, the nation's best 3-point shooting team.

Those storylines fell by the wayside as the Longhorns, hampered by playing without injured senior forward Taylor Jones and with Booker nursing foul problems, instead got spectacular performances from Aaliyah Moore, Shaylee Gonzales and Shay Holle while the Zags started the game ice-cold and ended it not much better, suffering through a horrid shooting night at the Mado Center in Portland, Ore.

The Longhorns improved to 10-3 in NCAA Tournament games under fourth-year head coach Vic Schaefer, who's no stranger to Elite Eights. Or Final Fours, for that matter. He led Mississippi State to back-to-back Final Fours in 2017 and 2018.

This was our thread throughout Friday night's Texas-Gonzaga game:

On to the Elite Eight: Texas pushes by Gonzaga

It's all over in Portland. Top-seeded Texas has beaten No. 4 Gonzaga 69-47 and will face third-seeded North Carolina State on Sunday at the Moda Center in Portland. Tipoff time will be announced later.

Other Sweet 16 scores from Friday: In Albany, No. 1 South Carolina def. No. 4 Indiana 79-75 and No. 3 Oregon State def. No. 2 Notre Dame 70-65. And in Portland, No. 3 North Carolina State def. No. 2 Stanford 77-67. Sunday's Sweet 16 matchups — in Albany, it's No. 2 UCLA (27-6) vs. No. 3 LSU (30-5) at noon followed by No. 1 Iowa (31-4) vs. No. 5 Colorado (24-9) at 2:30 p.m. Those are ABC games. And in Portland, it's No. 1 USC (28-5) vs. No. 5 Baylor (26-7) at 4:30 p.m. followed by No. 3 UConn (31-5) vs. No. 7 Duke (22-11) at 7 p.m., both games on ESPN.

There's 4:54 left; Texas leads Gonzaga 59-42

Texas stumbled out of the gate in this period. There was a Madison Booker turnover, a Shaylee Gonzales foul to prevent a fast break, a Shay Holle turnover, an Aaliyah Moore missed free throw and Khadija Faye's third foul. But there also was a Moore rebound and put-back, and a Holle steal, and Gonzaga was going through its own struggles.

Yvonne Ejim was sent to the bench with her fourth foul with 6:45 to go, and Eliza Hollingsworth's 3-pointer from the top of the circle made it a 57-42 game with 5:31 left. But a nice Moore pass to Faye pushed the Texas lead back to 17. Booker picked up her fourth foul with 5:04 left. She went out with 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. The Horns are being led by Gonzales (15 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) and Moore (14 pints, 9 rebounds, 5 assists).

We've counted three Gonzaga air balls tonight.

Texas is one period away from the Elite Eight

They're heading into the fourth period in Portland. No. 1-seeded Texas leads No. 4 Gonzaga 54-35. "Texas led by 19 at halftime and again after the third quarter," Kirk Bohls chimed in. "In total control."

Texas brushed back Gonzaga's attempt at a run with an Aaliyah Moore layup, a Shaylee Gonzales jumper and a couple of Amina Muhammad free throws. The Longhorns got a scare late in the period when Aaliyah Moore crumpled to the floor and grabbed the back of her leg. Remember, the Longhorns are already without Taylor Jones and Moore has battled back from a 2022-23 ACL injury. But it appears to be cramps; she ended the third period on the bench, stretching it out.

One official TV timeout that was a bad time for Gonzaga

There's 3:57 left in the third period. Gonzaga's trying to make a run, but Texas leads 46-31.

Madison Booker's back in the game for Texas, which has gotten a layup, a rebound and two turnovers from her this half. Brynna Maxwell has seven points for the Zags, whose momentum was halted, for how long we'll find out, by an official TV timeout. Still, it's a 15-point lead for Texas.

From Kirk Bohls: Shaylee Gonzales and Shay Holle are carrying the Horns right now with 23 points, including five 3-pointers. The Zags making a run, but Texas responds well. Texas up 15.

Everything's working right for the Longhorns

It's halftime and top-seeded Texas is in control of this Sweet 16 matchup with No. 4 Gonzaga. The Longhorns lead 37-18.

The story of this game for Texas? It's been all about finding — and thriving — with Plan Cs, Ds and beyond. Consider this: (1) Madison Booker — Texas' best player and the Big 12's co-player of the year, picked up two early fouls, was benched for most of the first half and has 2 points. (2) DeYona Gaston, the Big 12's sixth player of the year, also is saddled with two fouls and was sent to the bench in the second quarter. (3) Taylor Jones isn't playing. And add to that the fact that the Longhorns are playing the best 3-point shooting team in the country, should spell trouble in this Sweet 16 matchup. But it's not.

Shay Holle's 3-point swish from the corner at the end of the first half put an exclamation point on Texas' effort through the first two quarters. Holle has 7 points and 2 assists, Shaylee Gonzales leads the team with 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists and the Longhorns are making this a frustrating night for the Zags, who are only 3-of-21 from the field, shooting only 14% And they're 2-of-9 from 3-point range.

Out goes Ejim for the Zags

There's 3:13 left in the first half. Texas leads 27-16.

A development for Gonzaga: senior forward Yvonne Ejim — the West Coast Conference player of the year — picked up her third foul with 4 minutes left and left for the bench. That's a situation that head coach Lisa Fortier, who gambled by keeping Ejim in the game after she picked up her second foul, will have to negotiate in the second half. Ejim is Gonzaga's leading scorer tonight, with six points.

Texas is doing it on both ends of the floor

There's 4:30 left in the second quarter. Texas leads Gonzaga 27-15.

The Longhorns clearly packed their defense to Portland. Gonzaga's shooting 17.6% from the field, a 3-of-17 slog through the first half, while Texas is shooting 50% and already has 12 defensive rebounds. Shaylee Gonzales has 8 points and Shay Holle has 7 to uncharacteristically lead the offense. Madison Booker (2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist) and DeYona Gaston (2 points) both have two fouls. "If Schaefer can keep Booker on the bench till halftime and maintain a 10-point lead or so, he'd be thrilled," Kirk Bohls says.

So far, so good for Texas

From Kirk Bohls: This game is going according to script for the Longhorns. Ejim, Zags' WCC Player of the Year, has no field goals, and Gonzaga didn't score a bucket last 5:53 of the quarter. The Horns actually have one more 3-pointer than the Zags, who were held to one for four attempts deep. Even Booker's absence the last 2 1/2 minutes didn't hurt much

Texas takes 18-9 lead into 2nd quarter

End of the second quarter. Texas is leading Gonzaga 18-9.

Aaliyah Moore's strong move to the basket put Texas back up by seven, and a Gonzaga turnover with 8 seconds left allowed DeYona Gaston to swish a shot from the left side. Texas ended the quarter with a 14-2 run and the Zags didn't score in the final six minutes.

Uh oh: early foul trouble for Madison Booker

Madison Booker is on the bench. Texas' Khadija Faye, in this early because Taylor Jones is out tonight, let a Zag get by her. Booker had to come over and help out, but drew her second foul at the 2:38 mark. That spells trouble for Texas. There's 1:01 left. Texas leads 14-9. — Kirk Bohls

Texas connecting from 3-point range

Shaylee Gonzales' 3-pointer pushed Texas to an 11-7 lead out of the TV timeout, and then Shay Holle followed that up with a 3-pointer from the corner. The Longhorns have rattled off a 10-0 run and now lead the Zags 14-7 with 3:00 left.

Texas retakes the lead

Aaliyah Moore picked off a pass at the top of the circle with 5 minutes left, but missed the `breakaway layup. But Shaylee Gonzales followed with a jumper in the lane. That made it an 8-7 Texas lead with 4:35 left in the first. Madison Booker, Aaliyah Moore, Shay Holle and Gonzales each have 2 points for Texas; Brynna Maxwell leads the Zags with 3 points. And yes, it was a 3-pointer; Gonzaga, the nation's top shooting 3-point team, is 1-of-2 so far from long range.

Texas' task is easy: stop the threes

There's 5:56 left in the first quarter. Gonzaga leads Texas 5-4.

Texas' defense will be pressured to combat Gonzaga's nation-leading 3-point team. Yvonne Ejim is the conference player of the year and averages 20 points and 9 rebounds a game. Every Gonzaga starter is averaging in double figures. — Kirk Bohls

It's North Carolina State's world

Both their men (11 seed) and women (3 seed) have advance to the Elite Eight. The women Wolfpack will face the winner of the Texas-Gonzaga game for a berth in the Final Four. — Kirk Bohls

Taylor Jones left out of the Texas lineup

Texas forward Taylor Jones was not listed in the Longhorns' starting lineup on Friday night. Jones was replaced by DeYona Gaston in a lineup that also includes Madison Booker, Shaylee Gonzales, Shay Holle and Aaliyah Moore.

According to a team spokesperson, Jones is listed as "questionable" on the Texas injury report. She did participate in a portion of UT's warm-ups. Jones' injury wasn't clarified but her status is related to the hard fall that she took in the second-round game against Alabama this past Sunday. Jones temporarily left that game but later returned.

The 6-foot-4 Jones is averaging 12.4 points per game. She leads Texas in rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage.

More:Sixteen things to know about the four Sweet 16 teams playing in Portland, Ore.

What channel is Texas vs Gonzaga on tonight? How to watch, stream live

• TV channel: ESPN

• Stream: NCAA March Madness Live app | Sling TV

Texas will tip off vs. Gonzaga on ESPN. Streaming options include the NCAA March Madness Live app and Sling TV.

Texas vs Gonzaga start time, TV info, location

• Start time: 9 p.m. CST

• TV info: ESPN

• Location: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon.

Texas vs Gonzaga preview

TEXAS: The top-seeded Longhorns find themselves on the brink of the Elite Eight after reinventing themselves in late December after star point guard Rori Harmon was lost for the season. Freshman wing Madison Booker took over at point and has led Texas ever since.

GONZAGA: It's Gonzaga's men's basketball program, not the women's, that knows about NCAA Tournament success. The Zags are trying to make it to only their second Elite Eight in program history having won 26 of their last 27 games and are the nation's top 3-point shooting team.

Texas vs Gonzaga odds, betting line, spread

• Spread: Texas (-6.5)

• Over/under: 141.5

• Moneyline: Gonzaga +200

Texas vs Gonzaga prediction, game picks

Texas 74, Gonzaga The Zags' 3-point weapons will keep them close, but the Horns' physicality and defense should be enough.

Texas vs Gonzaga injury updates

TEXAS: None.

GONZAGA: None.

Texas vs Gonzaga stats

TEXAS

• PPG: 80.8

• PPG allowed: 57.4

• FG% 49.3

• 3PT%: 36.5

GONZAGA

• PPG: 80.9

• PPG allowed: 60.1

• FG% 48.6

• 3PT%: 40.1

Texas basketball schedule 2023-24

The past five games of Texas' 2023-24 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here

Gonzaga basketball schedule 2023-24

The past five games of Gonzaga's 2023-24 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas vs Gonzaga live score, NCAA bracket updates: March Madness