Texas Out of NCAA Tournament: Xavier Makes Key Plays Down the Stretch

The Texas Longhorns’ men’s basketball season concluded with an 86-80 loss to Xavier in the NCAA tournament’s First Four, a familiar narrative of a promising start followed by a late-game collapse. Despite leading for a significant portion of the game, Texas couldn’t maintain their advantage, allowing Xavier to seize control in the crucial final minutes.

The loss leaves Texas with a 19-16 record for Rodney Terry’s third season as head coach, placing him under increased scrutiny. The game’s decisive moments saw Texas freshman Tre Johnson miss a critical free throw that could have tied the game, and later, a crucial rebound and follow-up by Xavier’s Dailyn Swain sealed the Longhorns’ fate.

Texas held a 10-point lead in the second half, but Xavier’s late 16-6 run proved decisive. The pattern of strong starts and faltering finishes has become a recurring theme for the Longhorns, contributing to their early tournament exit.