NCAA Tournament 2023: Ranking the surprise Elite 8 teams left in the field
By Joey Loose
2. 2 Texas
Before the season, Texas was expected to contend for the national title, but their season was thrown for a loop when head coach Chris Beard was dismissed after a domestic incident. Interim coach Rodney Terry has been incredible in stabilizing this program and the Longhorns are on the footsteps of their first Final Four run in two decades as a result.
The Longhorns survived in a tough Big 12, picking up solid win after solid win in a conference filled with challenge. This team was not overwhelmed by the challenges ahead of them. Marcus Carr and Sir’Jabari Rice have been two elite guards all season long, while Dylan Disu has been a top-level big man for the Longhorns. What’s even more impressive is how the Longhorns still played great ball without Disu in the Sweet Sixteen, getting great contributions from Tyrese Hunter, Christian Bishop and the rest of a talent-filled lineup.
The Longhorns made quick work of Colgate, held off upset-hungry Penn State, and made even quicker work against Xavier in a game that wasn’t close for much of the contest. The Longhorns clobbered Kansas twice in March and have been even better in the Tournament these last two weekends. The defense continues to deliver while the offense has been the story, getting great efforts from across the roster. Which Longhorn will stand out in their Elite Eight contest?