March Madness is one of the most exciting events across all sports.
It’s even more so thrilling when your team is surrounded with high hopes after winning their first ever conference tournament. Texas took home the Big 12 tournament title in what was arguably one of the toughest basketball conferences this season. To say the least, the energy in Austin right now is electric.
No. 3 Texas is preparing to face No. 14 Abilene Christian on Saturday night in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. We’ve already witnessed No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Purdue shockingly fall to lower seeded teams on Friday. Will the Longhorns step into the same trap, or will they finally get over the first round hump?
Texas hasn’t appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2018, where they were defeated by Nevada in the Round of 64. Prior to that, the Longhorns were dismissed in the opening round by Northern Iowa in 2016.
Needless to say, it’s been a while since Texas has won an NCAA Tournament game. However, something feels special about this year.
Some Texas fans may feel content if Shaka Smart’s squad was finally able to make it past the first round. Others are confident in the talent and potential on the roster for the Longhorns to make a run as deep as the Final Four.
As you can imagine, those affiliated with the University of Texas have a heightened sense of excitement today. Many fans, players and media members have shared their gameday enthusiasm on Twitter this morning.
Take a look at the pregame buzz on the next page.