Texas entered its first-ever SEC Tournament squarely on the bubble for March Madness, hoping to secure an NCAA Tournament bid with a strong showing in Nashville. However, after falling to Tennessee in their third game of the conference tournament on Friday, the Longhorns’ postseason fate remains uncertain.
Despite the loss, ESPN analyst Tom Crean believes Texas deserves a spot in the Field of 68. Crean argued that bubble teams should be judged not just by their résumé but by their potential to win games in the tournament. “I think they deserve to [be in the tournament],” Crean said on *SportsCenter*. “I think you judge a team on the bubble by, do you think they can get to the next weekend? And I don’t think there’s any question Texas can get to the second weekend. … They’ve got a superstar in Tre Johnson, they’ve got veterans, they can score, they can defend.”
However, Crean acknowledged the factors working against Texas. The Longhorns’ non-conference strength of schedule ranks a dismal 142nd in college basketball, per ESPN’s BPI. While they boast seven Quadrant 1 wins and rank 38th in the NET rankings, their weak non-conference slate and 15 losses this season could ultimately keep them out of the NCAA Tournament.
As Selection Sunday approaches, Texas fans are left wondering whether their team’s strengths—like Tre Johnson’s star power and veteran leadership—will outweigh their shortcomings. Will the Longhorns hear their name called, or will they be left on the outside looking in?
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