AUSTIN, Texas — After a tumultuous regular season, the Texas Longhorns men's basketball team has qualified for the 2024 NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region.
The Longhorns will face either Virginia or Colorado State in the Round of 64 on Thursday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Virginia and Colorado State will face off in a play-in game in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday to determine the Midwest Region's No. 10 seed.
A win in the Round of 64 would mean the Longhorns will face the winner of the matchup between No. 2 Tennessee and No. 15 Saint Peter's on Saturday in Charlotte. If the Longhorns end up facing Tennessee, it will also mean facing former Texas coach Rick Barnes for a trip to the Sweet 16.
The Longhorns finished with a 20-12 regular season record, going 9-9 in Big 12 play – good for eighth in the conference. The team lost a heartbreaker in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament, blowing a 10-point lead at halftime in a 78-74 loss to Kansas State.
The Longhorns are led by senior guard Max Abmas, who transferred to Texas this season after four historic seasons at Oral Roberts, and first team All-Big 12 senior forward Dylan Disu, who led the team in blocks this season. Abmas averaged 17.1 points per game this season while logging an average of 35 minutes per game, by far the highest total on the team.
On the defensive side, the team is led by sophomore forward Dillon Mitchell, who averaged just under eight rebounds per game this season. He is considered a possible first round prospect in June's NBA Draft.