This season was a step in the right direction for Texas basketball.
The 2021-22 Texas basketball season ended at the hands of Purdue in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Boilermakers got to the free-throw line often and hit clutch shots down the stretch to take down the Horns 81-71.
The Longhorns displayed a high level of intensity and toughness but just fell short of pulling off the upset. Playing in a meaningful March Madness game was a nice refresher for a Texas program that had not been in that spot since 2014.
Every season ends like this unless you win the final Monday night game. Just super proud of our guys. It’s not all the normal coaching clichés, but I mean it. These guys overcame a lot.
Texas accomplished a lot in Beard’s first season and Longhorn fans have lots of reasons for optimism going forward.
Here are three takeaways from Texas’ season-ending loss in the round of 32.
Chris Beard’s first season at Texas has come to an end in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Purdue’s size and athleticism were just too much for this Texas team.
Jaden Ivey put a dagger through the heart of Texas fans everywhere with a deep step-back three-pointer giving the Boilermakers a six point lead with a minute left. The shot put the game away as Purdue held on to win 81-71.
Perhaps the most eye-catching stat of the game was the free-throw discrepancy. Purdue shot 43 free throws compared to just 12 for Texas. A big moment in the game came when the Horns leading scorer Timmy Allen fouled out with six minutes left in the second half.
The loss should not overshadow a remarkable performance from Texas point guard Marcus Carr. He was everything for the Texas offense, finishing with a game-high 23 points and seven assists.
Texas accomplished a lot in the 2021-22 season. Winning over 20 regular season games and winning the programs first NCAA tournament game since 2014 are both signs Texas is heading in the right direction.
Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.
The Longhorns will have their fair share of troubles with Purdue based on the style of play each team has.
For the first time in eight years, those that follow Texas basketball are actually still discussing the team being in the tournament after the first round.
The Longhorns, along with the other five teams out of the Big 12, advanced to the Round of 32. Texas was able to extinguish Virginia Tech’s scorching hot streak that saw them win 13 of their last 15 games, including the ACC conference tournament.
Texas’ reward for advancing is to take on No. 3 Purdue in the second round, whose ranking never dropped out of the top 10 all season.
It will be a tough matchup for Chris Beard’s squad considering the Longhorns struggle with teams who have skilled big mans. Purdue has two of them in 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and 6-foot-10 Trevion Williams. Not to mention, the Boilermakers also have projected top five NBA draft pick in Jaden Ivey running the offense.
On the bright side, Beard has a 2-0 record against Purdue in the NCAA tournament, as he beat them once while at Little Rock and once while at Texas Tech.
Texas will need to be flawless in every aspect of the game in order to upset Purdue on Sunday. Let’s take a look at how Texas and Purdue rank in some key statistical categories.
Texas and Purdue will battle it out with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
No. 6 Texas took down No. 11 Virginia Tech in the first round of the NCAA tournament behind a valiant second-half performance.
Each Texas starter finished the game in double digits leading Texas to its first March Madness victory in eight years.
The win sets the Longhorns up with a round of 32 matchup against No. 3 seeded Purdue. The Boilermakers are led by the dangerous duo of Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey. The two combined for 38 points in Purdue’s dismantling of Yale in the first round.
Courtney Ramey will likely be tasked to slow down Ivey while it will take a strong effort from the entire Texas frontcourt to keep Edey in check.
Here is how to tune in as the Longhorns and Boilermakers play for a spot in the Sweet 16 on Sunday.
After the 2-2 start, ESPN has projected Texas in the Cactus Bowl. UT has never participated in the Arizona based postseason matchup.
Before the 2020 season began, Texas not only had aspirations of winning its first Big 12 championship since 2009 but making it to the College Football Playoff. An experienced quarterback and a head coach entering his fourth season running the program gave the Longhorns hope.
That has not gone to plan four games into the year as Texas has dropped its two last games against TCU and Oklahoma. The program has never been at a lower place under Tom Herman, having to climb up a steep hill just to stay alive in the Big 12.
After the catastrophic 2-2 start, ESPN has placed the Longhorns in the Cactus Bowl in their latest bowl projections. Previously named the Insight Bowl, Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, and the Cheez-It Bowl, Texas has never participated in the Arizona based postseason matchup.
Facing Texas would be the Purdue Boilermakers out of the Big Ten conference. The two schools have faced off twice in their histories, dating back to 1950 and 1951. The Longhorns won the matchup in Austin 34-26 and then blanked the Boilermakers 14-0 in West Lafayette.
Purdue has yet to kick off their 2020 season. The Big Ten conference will begin to play on Oct. 24 after initially postponing its fall season. The Boilermakers will face Iowa at home at 3:30 pm CDT.
As for the rest of the Big 12, ESPN does not project a conference representative in the College Football Playoff. It has been since 2016 since the Big 12 (Oklahoma) has not made the playoff.
The Sooners’ in-state rival Oklahoma State is projected to represent the conference in the New Year’s Six. The Cowboys are slated to play in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against either BYU or USC.
Mike Gundy’s squad is the conference’s real last hope at the College Football Playoff. Currently sitting at 3-0, Oklahoma State still must play the Big 12’s premier opponents.
