NASHVILLE — The query got here up Thursday inside a victorious Texas locker room following the No. 13 seed Longhorns’ wild 94-89 double-overtime victory over No. 5 seed Texas A&M within the second spherical of the SEC Event.
Precisely what number of Quad 1 victories do the Longhorns have now? After somebody steered the quantity could also be six, a number of gamers responded in unison with the right quantity.
“Seven,” they mentioned, leaving no room for doubt.
“We really do not speak about it as a lot as you may assume,” graduate middle Kadin Shedrick advised CBS Sports activities moments later. “However seven Quad 1 wins, that is good.”
Will or not it’s good sufficient to get Texas onto the best facet of the NCAA Event bubble? It should be if the Longhorns cannot hold the magic alive in opposition to No. 4 seed Tennessee in Friday’s quarterfinals.
At 7-9 in Quad 1 alternatives, the Longhorns are doing a little last-minute cramming to atone for the shortcomings of a disappointing season that has left head coach Rodney Terry on the new seat.
“I believe we ought to be in by now, for positive,” Texas freshman phenom Tre Johnson mentioned. “But when not, we will nonetheless put our hardhats on and are available again and get one other one tomorrow.”
No staff with seven Quad 1 wins was not noted of the 2024 NCAA Event, which is a morsel that might present some hope if the Longhorns cannot string collectively their first three-game profitable streak since December.
If Texas can avenge a 74-70 loss to Tennessee from Jan. 11, then its outlook would turn into far rosier.
“They will get in by beating Tennessee,” CBS Sports activities Bracketology Knowledgeable Palm mentioned Thursday on CBS Sports activities HQ.
The Longhorns appear to know the task.
“It looks like we have to win tomorrow,” Shedrick mentioned. “It is good to get two wins in a row, however the focus shifts to Tennessee now.”
Including Quad 1 wins over Vanderbilt and the Aggies this week has inched the Longhorns nearer to the best facet of the bubble and nearer to the SEC probably inserting 14 of its 16 groups into the Large Dance.
“Our season is on the road, it is do or die” junior guard Jordan Pope mentioned. “We’re determined, we’re simply making an attempt to provide our all every recreation and play prefer it’s our final recreation.”
It is the right method, since each recreation might be Texas’ final. Until the Longhorns have been to just accept an invite to a postseason occasion except for the NCAA Event, every recreation this week might convey the top of an period.
Tre Johnson is Texas’ most dynamic freshman scorer since Kevin Durant, however his March run might be short-lived
Chris Hummer
In his second season because the full-time coach, Terry is concurrently on the cusp of reaching the NCAA Event and of probably receiving a pink slip.
In opposition to that backdrop, his staff navigated the feelings of a rivalry recreation with poise Thursday, turning the ball over simply six instances in 50 minutes in opposition to the Aggies and roaring again from a 5-point deficit within the first extra time interval.
Star guard Tramon Mark fouled out, as did defensive stopper Chendall Weaver. Regardless of, the Longhorns endured and located a method.
“Win or go residence,” graduate guard Julian Larry mentioned. “Then, if we lose, that is it and there is nothing else after that. We have to maintain that very same mentality and simply know it is win or go residence from right here on out on this match.”
There’s current precedent for high-major packages with embattled coaches making particular runs throughout championship week.
With a season – and probably even coach Rodney Terry’s future – hanging within the stability, the Longhorns are within the early phases of a 2024 NC State impersonation.
The Wolfpack have been on the unsuitable facet of the NCAA Event bubble coming into the ACC Event final season, and coach Kevin Keatts’ was on the most popular of seats. NC State proceeded to rattle off 9 straight wins to succeed in the Remaining 4, preserving Keatts’ job for another season (Keatts was fired to begin the week).
After two wins in two days, it is a bit early to anoint the Longhorns as this 12 months’s Wolfpack, however they’re off to a very good begin on the hunt to salvage a once-wayward 2024-25 marketing campaign.