Sean Miller and Texas have largely shrugged off the “Cinderella” notion surrounding their current run in the NCAA Tournament, but it’s safe to say that the Longhorns will be underdogs yet again when they head to the Sweet 16.
Having won games over No. 11 NC State, No. 6 BYU and No. 3 Gonzaga all within the past week, UT will look to carry its momentum into a date with No. 2 Purdue on Thursday.
The Boilermakers also reached the Sweet 16 after they outlasted Miami for a 79-69 win on Sunday, setting up a No. 11 seed vs. a No. 2 seed in the West Region.
The Longhorns’ gutsy run has been made even more impressive by the fact that they lost their final 3 games of the season, including a disappointing SEC Tournament Quarterfinal loss to Ole Miss. But a First Four victory over NC State gave the team some life, and Miller & Co. found a rhythm on little rest over the weekend despite playing far away in Portland.
The top half of the West region still features fourth-seeded Arkansas, who awaits the winner of top-seeded Arizona vs. No. 9 Utah State in the Sweet 16 as well.
With the time for tip-off still to be determined, the Longhorns and Boilermakers will clash Thursday in San Jose.
Parker is currently the sports editor for the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
