Coach Sean Miller embraces March Madness pressure, fueling Texas' high-octane offense and defensive improvements for a winning culture.
Texas head coach Sean Miller is well aware of where his team stands in the race for March Madness, and he's not running away from the noise.
"For a coach to act like they're not aware of those, to me, it's almost irresponsible," he said on Tuesday. "They're looking at it. They're being made aware of it by their family and friends, especially as the weeks move closer to March... you can't turn a TV on without something popping onto the screen about who's in, who's not."
Instead of avoiding the pressure of being on the bubble, Miller wants his team to use it as motivation to improve each and every day.
"What are the things that will allow us to be a part of that?" he said.
The Longhorns are riding high on a three-game win streak, moving them to 6-5 in Southeastern Conference play. It's the first time they've been over .500 in their two years in the SEC.
Texas' success is largely driven by its high-powered offense, which averages 85.2 points per game, 29th-best in college basketball.
That number is even more impressive when you factor in the Longhorns' offensive tempo, which ranks 207th according to KenPom. They don't play fast, but they're one of the most efficient teams in the nation.
However, Miller still wants more from his squad, specifically on the defensive end.
Texas has seen massive improvements in that department since the beginning of conference play, but Miller knows there's still work to be done if the team wants to lock up a spot in the big dance.
"We have to continue to develop and become a better defensive team. We can't try to outscore every opponent," he said. "We have to be able to get big stops. We have to foul less. We have to defend the three-point line more."
And a lot of that has to do with fostering a winning culture, something Miller is trying to do at Texas.
When teams win, they get more attention, and that feeling is addictive. Once it's there, players never want it to leave, leading to a constant cycle of improvement.
Miller has had his fair share of winning environments over his 20-year coaching career, and the Longhorns are on the path to creating one as well.
"Players hear that all the time, but to start experiencing it, they'll feel that people care more about what you do when you win," Miller said. "It leads to things like defense, concentration points and things that sometimes aren't present when you're not thinking about winning four in a row, five in a row, or a winning environment."
As Miller mentioned, three wins in a row may not seem like a big deal, but for a program like Texas, it's the first baby step in the right direction to building an elite program.