Deep-pocketed Texas is the closest this chalky NCAA tournament has to a charming underdog story

Turns out Cinderella isn’t dead yet.

A plucky double-digit-seeded upstart who barely snuck into the NCAA tournament ripped off three upsets in five days to earn its place in next week’s Sweet 16.

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They sank a last-second fadeaway jump shot on Tuesday to beat NC State and advance out of the First Four. They survived AJ Dybantsa’s 35-point scoring barrage two nights later to likely end the projected top-three draft pick’s BYU career. And they toppled third-seeded Gonzaga 74-68 in front of a hostile crowd on Saturday to prevent the Zags from making the NCAA tournament’s second weekend for the 10th time in 11 years.

Who is this overachiever punching above its weight class? This little-known longshot poised to introduce itself to the nation? Say hello to Texas, the closest thing to a charming underdog story this chalky NCAA tournament has left.  

On the same day that Texas A&M crumbled against Houston, that VCU offered little resistance against Illinois and that High Point faded late, only Texas seized its opportunity to bust brackets. The 11th-seeded Longhorns are now the lone double-digit seed left in an NCAA tournament dominated by favorites for the second consecutive year. 

“Yeah, I don't think we ever really want to sign up to be the Cinderella story,” first-year Texas coach Sean Miller said. “Because we are the University of Texas and we represent the SEC.”

Texas becomes the sixth team to advance from the First Four to the Sweet 16, joining 2021 UCLA, 2018 Syracuse, 2014 Tennessee, 2013 LaSalle and 2011 VCU. The Longhorns won in Dayton, took a cross-country flight to Portland and won two more games on a short turnaround.  What they’ve achieved is impressive even if they don’t embrace the Cinderella role.

Texas players Dailyn Swain (3) and Tramon Mark (12) celebrate after upsetting Gonzaga in the second round of the NCA tournament Saturday in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)C. Morgan Engel via Getty Images

Only a week ago, Texas gathered to watch the Selection Show unsure if it would hear its name. The Longhorns had dropped five of their previous six games, including an opening-round SEC tournament loss to Ole Miss, to slip from a projected No. 9 seed to the edge of the at-large cutline. 

When the selection committee gave Texas new life, the Longhorns held a players-only meeting where guard Dailyn Swain said they talked about needing “a chance.” A talented collection of transfers and holdovers from the previous Texas regime finally came together in a way that it previously hadn’t. 

“We didn't end the regular season the way we wanted to,” Swain added. “But we never gave up on each other and that grew us closer.”

The continued development of Lithuanian center Matas Vokietaitis has also been critical to Texas’ NCAA tournament revival. Vokietaitis has averaged 18.3 points and 11 rebounds in the Longhorns three victories, overwhelming BYU’s undersized frontcourt on Thursday and then holding his own against Gonzaga All-American candidate Graham Ike two days later. 

With Vokietaitis controlling the paint and Swain, Jordan Pope and Tramon Mark providing perimeter shot-making, an already efficient Texas offense has put up nearly 1.2 points per possession in its last two games. The Longhorns have also defended uncharacteristically well in spurts, limiting NC State to 36.8% shooting and holding Gonzaga to just three points over the final four-plus minutes of the first half. 

“We're a much better team right now than we would have been a month ago,” Miller said. “I think we're playing our best, everybody wants to play their best in March, and we just so happen to be doing it.”

Give Miller credit for a key decision that helped get Texas over the finish line against Gonzaga. With the Longhorns ahead by one and needing a basket to avoid giving the Zags a chance to win on their final possession, Miller inserted forward Cam Heide into the game even though the Purdue transfer had only played 13 minutes and had yet to hit a shot.

Heide, Miller said, is Texas’ “best 3-point shooter.” Miller “didn’t think it made any sense” not to have him on the floor because of the potential for a broken play resulting in an open look from behind the arc. 

What Miller predicted is exactly what happened. The Gonzaga defense collapsed around Mark, he kicked it to Heide in the corner and the veteran forward buried a 3-pointer to essentially clinch the Texas victory.  

“It was great to see him knock it in,” Miller said. “I was really, really happy for him. I might have even said, ‘I'm putting you in to make a shot’ and again, when it happens, it's almost too good to be true.”

Now Texas moves on to face either Purdue or Miami in the Sweet 16 in San Jose. One of the biggest brands in all of college sports will assume the unlikely role of giant slayers as they try to make it to the program’s first Final Four since 2003.

Just don’t label Texas as Cinderella. 

Even in a tournament with no other surviving double-digit seeds, the slipper doesn’t quite fit.

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