AUSTIN (KXAN) – The season for Texas men’s basketball didn’t go how they envisioned. For a group that started the season ranked in the AP Top 25, the 2024-2025 campaign for the Longhorns has been in many ways a disappointment.
None of that matters now.
The Longhorns are where they wanted to be; the NCAA Tournament. Yes, they have to play in the First Four. No, they don’t seem to care.
Head Coach Rodney Terry has led a group that has battled through injuries this season but enters Wednesday night’s showdown against Xavier with their full complement of players.
“I just feel like it’s a breath of fresh air,” said Longhorns freshman guard Tre Johnson about having the team healthy. “Just because having everybody back, knowing that we are at full strength and there’s no excuses now.”
The main piece Texas has back is Chendall Weaver, who returned for the final game of the regular season and SEC Tournament. The high-energy guard brings an infectious style of play to the Longhorns. That type of mindset is one the Texas’ head coach loves in this tournament.
“Teams that have success this time of year are teams that have tremendous juice and energy and excited about this opportunity,” Terry said. “Sometimes it’s not the best team that wins this time of year. For 40 minutes, you got to be the team and puts your will on that team.”
As Texas tips off Wednesday night against Xavier at 8:10 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio, they’ll begin what they hope is an extended run in March Madness. The Longhorns, according to their head coach, have had an NCAA Tournament mindset for months as they fought to get in the tournament.
And Rodney Terry said that should help his group.
“If you’re playing March basketball already in mid-February – even really for us in the SEC was pretty much throughout January – every possession really matters. The urgency that you have to play with really matters.’
If Texas is to take down Xavier, they’ll face sixth-seeded Illinois Friday night at 8:45 p.m. in Milwaukee.
