NCAA Tournament 2023: 10 biggest storylines to watch for 1st day of games

9. Rodney Terry’s Texas audition continues against a tricky 15 seed

One of the larger storylines in the NCAA Tournament is the status of interim head coach Rodney Terry, who has taken over for Chris Beard, who was fired midway through the season after domestic assault allegations and arrest. Since then, Coach Terry has gone 19-7, which includes a number of big wins and a Big 12 Tournament title.

As a 2 seed, the Longhorns have a real shot to get into the Final Four. And if that happens, it’s hard to envision a scenario where Terry doesn’t become the permanent head coach for the program, one of the best jobs in the sport. However, a loss in the first week could very well seal his fate and have the program look elsewhere for a permanent solution.

They’ll have to be careful though, as their first-round opponent isn’t a typical pushover. It’s NCAA Tournament regular Colgate, who went 17-1 in Patriot League play. All five starters are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Conference Player of the Year (and Defensive POY too) guard, Tucker Richardson. They already have an upset win over Syracuse this season and nearly beat Wisconsin as a 14 seed.

The Raiders are not your typical 15 seed and the Longhorns should be careful to avoid sleepwalking. If Texas takes the game seriously, they should give Coach Terry his first NCAA Tournament win.