Texas made a serious case for this year's "Cinderella," as the Longhorns knocked off another higher seed to advance to the Sweet 16.
With two NCAA Tournament wins already under its belt, Texas took the court again on Saturday evening at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
The Longhorns kept their storybook run going with another upset victory, this time ousting perennial tournament staple, Gonzaga, 74-68.
Senior Jordan Pope surged for Texas, going for a tied team-high 17 points on a 7-of-18 shooting night. He also led the team in 3-pointers, knocking down 3-of-8 attempts from downtown.
Outside of Pope, four other Longhorns made it into double figures, including Matas Vokietatis, who also racked up 17 points while leading the team in rebounds with nine (9).
As a team, Texas shot 52 percent from the field and went 33 percent from beyond the arc in another offensive showcase in the tournament.
After narrowly sneaking into the field, Texas has rounded back into form and proved they deserved to make the Field of 68.
For head coach Sean Miller, he has led the Longhorns back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2023 and accomplished that goal in his first season in Austin.
Their win over the Bulldogs also matched tournament history, as they became the first First Four team to advance to the Sweet 16 since UCLA in 2021.
For those curious, that Bruins squad went all the way to the Final Four before falling to, ironically, Gonzaga.
After that First Four win, they are the only team with three wins in March Madness and they're looking for more.
Texas' next opponent is unknown, as Purdue and Miami don't square off until Sunday morning. Whichever ends up advancing, they'll look to do what no higher-seeded team has been able to do - eliminate the upstart Longhorns.
While their path to get there was anything but straight and narrow, Texas has made the Sweet 16 and will be ready and waiting for whoever is next in San Jose next Thursday.
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