Texas Men’s Basketball Falls to Tennessee, but March Madness Hopes Remain
Texas concluded its pursuit of the Southeastern Conference Championship with a 72-83 defeat against No. 4 seed Tennessee.
Over the past two days, Texas appeared to be a completely different team, and that pattern persisted against eighth-ranked Tennessee. The Longhorns managed to keep up offensively, but their defense failed to disrupt the Volunteers’ flow.
“I thought our offense was really strong,” said graduate forward Kadin Shedrick, who reached his 1,000th career point during the game. “They have the best defense in the country. We just couldn’t stop them. Against Tennessee, you have to get stops.”
Statistically, Texas lagged behind the nation’s top defense by five rebounds, three blocks, and four steals. However, against a team like Tennessee, every possession matters, and the Longhorns didn’t meet that standard.
“We just kept responding to their play instead of imposing our will,” senior forward Arthur Kaluma said. “Our defensive energy definitely has to improve.”
The lively atmosphere at Bridgestone Arena didn’t help either. The crowd was dominated by Tennessee fans who made the trip from Knoxville, erupting in cheers for every successful play by the Volunteers and drowning out Longhorns’ moments with boos.
But Texas embraced the challenge.
“I think it’s great for the game when the environment has energy rather than feeling dead,” Shedrick said. “It was a fun atmosphere to play in.”
Despite the defeat, the postgame mood in the locker room wasn’t one of disappointment but of anticipation and belief.
Selection Sunday is just a day away, and Texas still clings to the hope that it will be included in March Madness. The team entered the SEC Tournament knowing it needed two wins to even have a shot at an NCAA bid. Having secured those victories, that hope only strengthened.
“I think we proved that we can compete with the best teams,” Shedrick said. “I believe we deserve a chance.”
Even Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes vouched for Texas’ tournament worthiness. As a former mentor to Texas head coach Rodney Terry, Barnes has seen Texas twice this season.
“There’s no doubt Texas is an NCAA team… They’ve done more than enough,” Barnes said. “I think (the SEC) should have 14 teams in the NCAA Tournament.”
Terry and his team share that sentiment, especially given the level of competition in the SEC. SEC teams have faced more Top 25 opponents than teams in any other conference.
“I feel like we’re playing in the toughest conference ever created,” Kaluma said. “We’ve got seven Quad 1 wins. We’re a strong team with a lot of offensive talent, and we’re going to be exciting to watch.”
Reaching the SEC quarterfinals already demonstrated Texas’ competitiveness, and players hope the Selection Committee considers conference strength when making its decisions. Teams like North Carolina, which is just 1-12 in Quad 1 games, are ranked ahead of Texas in predictions.
Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, the Longhorns have one mantra—“ISO.”
“In spite of,” graduate guard Tramon Mark said. “No matter what happens, we stick together, keep playing, and fight hard. That’s what ISO means.”
Terry has emphasized this message all season. Despite the outside narratives, the opinions of others, and this loss to Tennessee, Texas remains focused on its own path—wherever it may lead.