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Highs and lows: A look at Texas men's basketball history in the NCAA Tournament

thomas jones, austin american-statesman
·4 min read
Texas forwards Timmy Allen, left, and forward Christian Bishop celebrate a basket in the Longhorns' win over Virginia Tech last year in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The victory was the first NCAA win for the program in eight years. Both Allen and Bishop are back as this year's Texas team opens NCAA play Thursday against Colgate.
Texas forwards Timmy Allen, left, and forward Christian Bishop celebrate a basket in the Longhorns' win over Virginia Tech last year in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The victory was the first NCAA win for the program in eight years. Both Allen and Bishop are back as this year's Texas team opens NCAA play Thursday against Colgate.

Since the NCAA expanded its men’s basketball tournament to 64 teams in 1985, Texas has been a mainstay in college basketball’s premier event. The Longhorns have qualified for 29 tournaments since and have missed out on a tournament berth just six times since 1988.

How have the Longhorns fared since the modern incarnation of the tournament started in 1985?

More:Rodney Terry: Forward Timmy Allen 'full tilt' for Texas' NCAA basketball opener

The Penders years

1989: In his first season as head coach, Tom Penders broke a decade-long drought without an NCAA selection and reached the second round as a No. 11 seed with his run-and-gun style.

1990: The apex of the Penders era came early when the 10th-seeded Horns made a run to the Elite Eight behind their three BMW guards — Lance Blanks, Travis Mays and Joey Wright.

1991: The fifth-seeded Horns no longer had Blanks and Mays, but Wright scored 21 points a game for a team that reached the second round.

1992: A new era began with the arrival of freshman Terrance Rencher, but the No 8 seed couldn’t get out of the first round.

1994: A year after missing the tournament, Texas won the Southwest Conference and reached the second round as a No. 6 seed behind Rencher and high-scoring B.J. Tyler.

1995: Texas drew an 11 seed despite a 22-6 record and conference title and reached the second round behind 20-point scorers Rencher and Roderick Anderson.

More:Former Texas basketball coach Chris Beard takes Ole Miss job

1996: Despite a No. 10 seed, Texas again reached the second round behind All-American candidate Reggie Freeman.

1997: In his last tournament appearance as Texas’ coach, Penders flashed some old magic by taking his 10th-seeded Longhorns to the Sweet 16.

With bigger recruits, Barnes makes deep runs

1999: Rick Barnes capped his debut season at Texas by leading the No. 7-seeded Horns back to the tournament, but they lost in the first round.

2000: Texas matched its highest seed in the modern era with a No. 5 spot but fell in the second round despite an All-America season from future NBA lottery pick Chris Mihm.

2001: Another strong regular season under Barnes resulted in a No. 6 seed, but Texas suffered an upset loss in the first round.

More:Texas men draw No. 2 seed in NCAA Tournament, will open against Colgate on Thursday

2002: Texas earned a second straight No. 6 seed and made the Sweet 16 with a deep roster that included freshman T.J. Ford.

2003: Ford led the Longhorns to their highest point, earning the program’s only No. 1 seed and only appearance in a Final Four.

2004: Despite Ford’s departure to the NBA, Texas earned a No. 3 seed and a berth in the Sweet 16.

Post-Final Four struggles for Texas in the NCAAs

2005: A bit of a rebuilding year for Barnes with a No. 8 seed and a loss in the first round.

2006: A trio of future NBA players in P.J. Tucker, LaMarcus Aldridge and Daniel Gibson led the team to a No. 2 seed and the Elite Eight.

2007: In his one season on campus, freshman Kevin Durant carried a thin Texas team to a No. 4 seed and the second round.

2008: In their last run past the opening weekend of the tournament, the No. 2 seed reached the Elite Eight behind the backcourt of D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams.

2009: The No. 7-seeded Longhorns won a first-round game, but fell in the second despite a big senior season from Abrams.

2010: A No. 8 seed, Texas lost in the first round for the first time in five years.

2011: Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson led a bounce-back season that resulted in a No. 4 seed, but the Longhorns fell in round two.

Texas coach Shaka Smart, left, joins guards Matt Coleman III, center, and Courtney Ramey before a 2019 practice. One of the most popular coaches on campus during his time at Texas, Smart couldn't coax an NCAA win from his team during his six years on campus.
Texas coach Shaka Smart, left, joins guards Matt Coleman III, center, and Courtney Ramey before a 2019 practice. One of the most popular coaches on campus during his time at Texas, Smart couldn't coax an NCAA win from his team during his six years on campus.

2012: Despite some rough patches in the regular season, the Horns managed a No. 11 seed and lost in the first round.

2014: A year after missing the tournament for the first time in the Barnes coaching era, Texas drew a No. 7 seed and advanced to the second round.

2015: A string of first-round frustration began with a No. 11 seed, an opening-game loss and the departure of Barnes after 17 seasons.

2016: Coach Shaka Smart debuted with a strong regular season and a No. 6 seed, but Texas again faltered in the first round.

2018: A year after missing the tournament, Texas clawed its way back into the brackets as a No. 10 seed but quickly fell out in the first round.

2021: Following two seasons without a tournament appearance, the Horns won the Big 12 Tournament but suffered an embarrassing loss to Abilene Christian as a No. 3 seed.

2022: Chris Beard replaced Smart on the bench and led Texas to a No. 6 seed and its first tournament victory in eight years before falling in round two.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: A look at the highs and lows of the Texas men in NCAA basketball