Texas Hoops: NCAA Tournament and the Longhorns
The No. 2 seed Texas Longhorns will take on the No. 15 seed Colgate Thursday at 6:25 p.m. Central time in the Round of 64.
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Last season, the No. 6 seed Longhorns advanced to the Round of 32 for the first time since 2014.
This year, the stakes are much higher with the No. 2 seed Longhorns coming off two blowout wins over Kansas in a week, a Big 12 Tournament title and receiving many expert picks to end up in Houston in the Final Four.
This is the first No. 2 seed since the 2007-08 season for the program. That was a season that ended in the Elite Eight in Houston. Texas was also a No. 2 seed in the 2005-06 season. That season also ended in the Elite Eight.
When the ball is tipped off Thursday, it will mark the 37th time in program history the Longhorns have taken part in the NCAA Tournament. Texas has appeared in 21 of the last 24 NCAA Tournaments, which is good for seventh in the country. Texas is also one of just six schools to appear in 29 of the last 34 NCAA Tournaments.
Texas enters the 2023 NCAA Tournament with a 36-39 all-time record.
Inside Texas takes a look at the Texas Longhorn NCAA Tournament history and superlatives.
Texas in the NCAA Tournament
Final Four (3) – 1943 (19-7), 1947 (26-2) and 2003 (26-7)
Final Four coaches:
Bully Gilstrap (1943)
Jack Gray (1947)
Rick Barnes (2003)
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Elite Eight (7) – 1939, 1943, 1947, 1990, 2003, 2006 and 2008
Sweet 16 (12) – 1960, 1963, 1972, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008
Last five Texas coaches in the NCAA Tournament
Bob Weltlich – 0-0 (coached six seasons in Austin)
Tom Penders – 10-8 (1 Elite Eight, 2 Sweet 16’s)
Rick Barnes – 19-16 (1 Final Four, 3 Elite Eight’s, 5 Sweet 16’s)
Shaka Smart – 0-3 (coached six seasons in Austin)
Chris Beard – 1-1 (Round of 32)
Texas superlatives in the NCAA Tournament
Scoring record: 44 points by Travis Mays in 1990 vs. Georgia
Rebounds record: 18 by B.G. Brosterhous in 1972 vs. USL
Most field goals: 11 by Kevin Durant (2007), LaMarcus Aldridge (2006) and Albert Burditt (1994)
Field goal attempts: 25 by Jason Klotz (2005) and Larry Robinson (1974)
Field goal percentage: 100% by Chris Owens (7-7 in 2000), Brad Buckman (6-6 in 2003 Final Four) and Demarcus Holland (6-6 in 2014)
Three-point field goals: 8 by A.J. Abrams in 2009 vs. Minnesota
Three-point attempts: 15 by A.J. Abrams in 2009 vs. Minnesota
Three-point percentage: 100% by Brian Boddicker (4-4 in in 2004 vs. Princeton), and 3-3 in 2002 vs. Mississippi State
Free throw attempts: 27 by Travis Mays in 1990 vs. Georgia
Free throw makes: 23 by Travis Mays in 1990 vs. Georgia
Free throw percentage: J’Covan Brown (twice), T.J. Ford, Joey Wright, B.J. Tyler and James Gilbert all had games of 100%.
Assists: 13 by T.J. Ford in 2003 vs. Syracuse in the Final Four
Steals: 7 by T.J. Ford in 2002 vs. Oregon in the Sweet 16
Blocked shots: 7 by Tristan Thompson vs. Oakland in 2011
Career Records in the NCAA Tournament
Most points scored all-time: A.J. Abrams (191)
Highest scoring average: Travis Mays (26.7)
Most rebounds: James Thomas (91)
Highest rebound average: Guillermo Myers (10.7)
NCAA Tournament games played: Brad Buckman (13)
Texas NCAA Tournament record against teams in the Midwest Region
Houston – 1-0 (1972)
Miami (Fla.) – 1-0 (2008)
Xavier – 1-1 (1990 & 2004)
Texas has never won an NCAA Tournament in the state of Iowa. They were 0-2 in Ames in 1972.
