Advertisement

Texas men's basketball team could face champion UConn early next season

thomas jones, austin american-statesman
·2 min read
10
UConn forward Adama Sanogo controls the ball and looks for positioning against San Diego State forward Nathan Mensah during Monday night's NCAA championship game. Texas may get to face the Huskies during an early-season tournament.
UConn forward Adama Sanogo controls the ball and looks for positioning against San Diego State forward Nathan Mensah during Monday night's NCAA championship game. Texas may get to face the Huskies during an early-season tournament.

The Texas men’s basketball team could get an immediate opportunity to test itself against the best next season.

The Longhorns will join NCAA Tournament champion Connecticut along with Indiana and Louisville in the 2023 Empire Classic at historic Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 19-20, organizers of the event announced Tuesday.

More: Rodney Terry: Becoming Texas' men's basketball head coach is 'a dream come true'

Semifinal pairings, television coverage and the on-sale date for tickets will be announced in the future.

College basketball usually begins the second week of November. Texas will release its full schedule later this year.

The Longhorns will make their seventh appearance in the Empire Classic. Texas also competed in the event in 1997, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2019. Texas won the event in 2014 after posting a 71-55 victory against California in the championship game.

Hopefully for Texas, the program can build on its momentum from a memorable 2022-23 season. The Longhorns finished with an overall record of 29-9, won the Big 12 postseason tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight for the first time since 2008. The 29 wins marked the third-most victories in a season in program history. Texas also set a school single-season record for most wins against AP-ranked teams with 10.

Seated in front of his players, Rodney Terry looks on as he is introduced as the Texas men's basketball coach during a press conference at the University of Texas on March 27. Texas will compete in the 2023 Empire Classic in New York City in November, when the Longhorns could meet NCAA champion Connecticut.
Seated in front of his players, Rodney Terry looks on as he is introduced as the Texas men's basketball coach during a press conference at the University of Texas on March 27. Texas will compete in the 2023 Empire Classic in New York City in November, when the Longhorns could meet NCAA champion Connecticut.

More: Bohls, Golden: Just what kind of SEC buzz saws await Texas teams, anyway?

The Longhorns were No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll, marking a tie for the highest ranking in the final AP poll in program history. Texas also was No. 5 in the final poll after the 2003 Final Four season.

The team also ranked No. 7 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll. This marks the third-highest ranking in the final coaches’ poll in program history and highest since a No. 5 ranking following the 2007-08 season.

Texas hired Rodney Terry as its head coach March 27 after he led the Longhorns on an interim basis for most of the 2022-23 season.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Could Texas men's basketball meet champion UConn early next season?