The Longhorns qualified for the tournament as one of the “Last Four In,” and will play their first game on Tuesday.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team is heading back to the NCAA Tournament.
Despite entering Sunday on the tournament bubble, the Longhorns qualified for the tournament as a No. 11 seed, and one of the “Last Four In” teams to earn a bid as a non-conference champion.
As one of the “Last Four In,” the Longhorns will face fellow No. 11 seed North Carolina State during the First Four round of the tournament on Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio. The Longhorns beat the Wolfpack earlier this season, 102-97, during the Maui Invitational in November.
If the Longhorns get past the Wolfpack, they would face No. 6 seed BYU in the First Round on Thursday in Portland, Oregon. BYU’s roster includes forward AJ Dybantsa, who is among the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Longhorns will play in the West Region of the bracket, which features Big 12 Champion Arizona as the No. 1 seed. The Longhorns would face the Wildcats if both teams reached the Elite Eight.
In addition to Arizona, the West Region also includes three other conference champions: Big 10 champion Purdue, who’s the No. 2 seed; West Coast Conference champion Gonzaga, who’s the No. 3 seed; and SEC champion Arkansas, who’s the No. 4 seed. The Longhorns could face either Purdue or Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen if they advance that far, while they could potentially meet Arkansas in the Elite Eight.
The Longhorns finished the season with an overall record of 18-14 with a 9-9 record in SEC play. The team secured a couple big wins during the regular season, beating ranked teams Alabama and Vanderbilt, and entered the SEC Tournament as the No. 10 seed, but lost to No. 15 seed Ole Miss in their first game.
The Longhorns were one of 10 SEC teams to qualify for the tournament.