When Texas Went Mad: The 5 Greatest NCAA Tournament Runs in School History

Though a national title in basketball has eluded the Longhorns since, well, forever, Texas has still had its fair share of amazing runs and amazing stories.

In preparation for this year’s big dance, which begins Thursday against Arizona State, we’re ranking the five greatest NCAA Tournament runs in Texas history. [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]

 

5. 1939

March 19, 1939 – Adolf Hitler sends a registered letter to the government of Lithuania stating that Germany intends to annex the port of Memel.

Coach	Record	Tourney Outcome
Jack Gray	19-6	Elite Eight

 

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In 1939, Texas made it to the first-ever NCAA Basketball Tournament. At the time, only eight teams received invites and the NIT, which predates the NCAA Tournament by two years and is played in the glamorous Madison Square Garden, was considered a more prestigious event. Nonetheless, those who won the NCAA tournament during these green years are still considered National Champions over those who won the NIT.

Captained by the wise-cracking senior Willie Tate, whose pregame trash talk included such gems as “We’ll take those tin soldiers like Sherman took Georgia,” this early incarnation of the Longhorn basketball team featured a deep and scrappy roster. With a record of 19-4, the Longhorns won the SWC and secured a tournament berth.

Despite the hype and excitement around Austin, the first game of the first NCAA tournament wasn’t even close. With not a single Longhorn logging double digit points, Oregon defeated Texas by 15 points before plowing through Oklahoma and Ohio State on their way to their first, and to this day only, national championship. Texas went on to lose a close regional consolation game (yes, they had third place games during this era) to Utah State and so began a long line of tournament disappointments for Texas.

Why is this short-lived tournament appearance important? Well, aside from it being the first NCAA tournament, it was also the Longhorns’ first SWC title in six years and began the up and down tenure of head coach Jack Gray, who coached the Longhorns to four SWC championships and three tournament appearances.

 

4. 2006

March 16, 2006 – The United Nations General Assembly votes overwhelmingly to establish the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Coach	Record	Tourney Outcome
Rick Barnes	30-7	Elite Eight

I remember watching Texas play West Virginia in my dorm room that year. The Longhorns, despite being a two-seed, sputtered into the tournament with a couple of big losses to unranked teams toward the end of the season. Yet, there they were, facing sixth-seeded West Virginia in the sweet 16.

Texas, led by LaMarcus Aldridge and PJ Tucker came into the game Big 12 Co-Champions (after winning the regular season title), and easily dispatched their first two opponents of the tournament. West Virginia, on the other hand, would prove to be a fearsome opponent. Texas played West Virginia earlier in the year, winning by a single point in a back-and-forth contest.

In the NCAA Tournament, however, Texas took a 12-point lead into the half, but a dozen points proved too small a cushion against the 3-point-happy Mountaineers. Within seven seconds of the second half, West Virginia cut the lead to nine and with eight minutes remaining, it was all square.

The two teams stayed within a possession of one another the rest of the way, and with 14 seconds remaining, Aldridge made a free throw to put the Longhorns up by three. Kevin Pittsnogle, who nailed four threes earlier in the game, connected from downtown with five seconds left. This is what happened next:

The Longhorns lost to LSU two nights later in overtime; a thrilling game that featured Glen Davis and Tyrus Thomas in their last years as collegiate athletes. LSU outscored the Longhorns 18-8 in the overtime period. Regardless of the final tournament outcome, Texas’ victory over West Virginia remains one of the most thrilling tournament games in Texas basketball history.

 

3. 1990

March 15, 1990 – Mikhail Gorbachev is elected to a five-year term as the first-ever President of the Soviet Union.

Coach	Record	Tourney Outcome
Tom Penders	24-9	Elite Eight

After a ten year absence from the NCAA Tournament, Texas’ improbable run at the big dance in 1990 propelled the Longhorns’ basketball program from little league, to legitimate threat. Texas’ Cinderella run came when the Longhorns entered the pool of 64 as a 10-seed, making the Longhorns underdogs in each of their three tournament victories.

Though the Longhorns finished with a respectable 21-9 record at the end of the regular season, Texas struggled all year against elite teams, going 0-7 against eventual tournament invitees. Regardless, in head coach Tom Penders’ second year, this squad garnered a reputation for their pro-style running offense.  Joey Wright, Lance Banks and Travis Mays (known as the BMW boys) were a three-headed dragon of offensive potency on the perimeter, tossing up 19.5 threes per contest between them and hitting on over 38 percent of them. The Longhorns scored in the triple digits nine times, and it didn’t always amount to a victory.

Texas opened by taking care of seventh-seeded Georgia with a surprising bit of ease, but close games are inevitable if an underdog is going to make a deep run. The following game saw the Longhorns pitted against second-seeded Purdue, and the Boilermakers had a nine-point lead with 12 minutes remaining in the game. However, a series of missed one-and-ones allowed Texas to creep closer and closer. Two free throws by Mays gave the Longhorns their first lead of the half with seven seconds remaining, and the biggest block in Longhorn history by Guillermo “Panama” Myers sealed the upset victory.

Texas got lucky later that night, as well, when Xavier upset third-seeded Georgetown. Texas then took care of Xavier in the sweet sixteen, which set up a date against conference foe Arkansas. Texas lost by three in what was a very close game in the elite eight, again exceeding most prognosticators’ expectations. Yet, as fans, we always hold onto hope that our team will win no matter the circumstance, and had the ball bounced a little differently, Texas easily could have made it to their third Final Four.

Since Texas’ improbable run to the elite eight in 1990, the Longhorns have made it to the big dance in 20 of the last 23 seasons.

 

2. 1947

March 1, 1947 – The International Monetary Fund begins to operate.

Coach	Record	Tourney Outcome
Jack Gray	26-2	Final Four

Perhaps the greatest basketball team in the history of the university, this is the closest Texas has ever come to winning a national title in basketball. Led by future NBA All-Star Slater Martin (who, next to Colt McCoy, has one of the coolest names in the history of Texas athletics) and a man with a politically-incorrect nickname, John “Shotgun” Hargis, Texas finished the regular season 24-1, their sole loss coming at the hands of Oklahoma A&M (today Oklahoma State). Texas also absolutely demolished their opponents, outscoring them by an average of 15.5 points per game.

This Texas team was so good and so feared that following a win at Baylor, Bears’ head coach Bill Henderson proclaimed the Longhorns the best team in the history of the state. After capturing a SWC title, the Longhorns played a game against the SWC All Stars, a concoction of the best players from the other schools. This is the first and only time this game has ever been played, and the streaking Horns won by 12.

With the best record in the country, the Longhorns were favorites to bring home the trophy. And all went according to plan in the first round when Texas exacted revenge against Wyoming following their close defeat in 1943. Texas won 42-40 and advanced to the Final Four for the second time in school history. Now, Texas simply had to repeat their 12-point victory over Oklahoma from earlier in the season and punch their ticket to the finals. However, after leading by seven at halftime, Oklahoma mounted a ferocious comeback and beat Texas on a miraculous 40-foot shot at the buzzer, easily the most heart-wrenching defeat in the history of Longhorn athletics.

(NOTE: Of the eight players that received a letter that year, seven had served the war effort, including head coach Jack Gray, who took a three year leave from coaching Texas to serve.)

 

1. 2003

March 19, 2003 – The Iraq War begins with the invasion of Iraq by the U.S. and allied forces.

Coach	Record	Tourney Outcome
Rick Barnes	26-7	Final Four

Texas’ third Final Four appearance was technically their first going through what’s known today as “the Big Dance.” A 64-team field requires four victories against tough competition to make it to the elusive Final Four. Of course, having a No. 1 seed helps, and for the first time in school history, the Longhorns had the highly sought-after, illustrious one seed.

There’s a great deal of added pressure due to heightened expectations when a team is the one seed. However, this group, comprised mostly of sophomores and juniors, didn’t allow such conjectures to get to their heads. The team featured future NBA players TJ Ford and Royal Ivey, and fan favorite hustle guy, Brad Buckman (the only player on two of the teams listed). Having a well-balanced attack, the Longhorns had three players averaging double figures and eight who averaged over five points per contest.

Entering March Madness, the Longhorns lost in the first round of the Big 12 conference tournament to lowly Texas Tech. However, this surprising defeat did not carry over into the tournament. Texas took care of business in the first game by defeating UNC-Asheville by 21 points. The Longhorns subsequently defeated Purdue by 10 in the second round despite trailing by one at the half (a game in which Ford shook loose in the second half for 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists).

As with any game, video and otherwise, the further you go the tougher it gets. Connecticut proved to be a challenge in the Sweet 16. Late in the first half, the Longhorns shook loose and extended their lead to 11. However, in the second half, the Huskies went on a ferocious 11-2 run and eventually took the lead 74-71 with just under five minutes remaining. In crunch time, both teams went cold from the field and the Longhorns won on six made free throws from Ford and Ivey. An anti-climactic end to a tough game.

Texas faced eternally elite Michigan State in the Elite 8, where Texas played their best game of the tournament and never trailed after the 12 minute mark in the first half.  Texas would go to the Final 4 for the first time since 1947. However, this cathartic victory would be the Longhorns’ last of the tournament. A few nights later, Syracuse easily dispatched the Longhorns 95-84. The Orangemen’s Carmelo Anthony (who, ironically, is a big Longhorn football fan) poured in a career-best 33 points, and for the third time the Longhorns lost in the Final Four to the eventual champions.

TJ Ford went pro the following year, but then came LaMarcus Aldridge, and a few years later, Kevin Durant. We’ve been fortunate to have such memorable and competitive teams, and though every NCAA Tournament has ended in a loss for Texas, that doesn’t stop us from enjoying it just the same.

(NOTE: The teams on this list provided Longhorn fans with some of the most memorable moments in the history of Texas athletics. Many of the players on these teams have since retired from basketball. Some had great careers, and some didn’t. Others are still playing. Some on the cusp of superstardom, and some disappearing into obscurity.  Most former players went on to live outside of the limelight, making these tournament runs their single moments of basketball glory (though they certainly had greater glory elsewhere in life). Some aren’t around anymore, but we keep their memory alive by reminding ourselves of the greatness they accomplished.)[/s2If]
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