Texas Basketball: Greatest Longhorns in history of NCAA Tournament
Honorable Mentions
Texas has multiple players that could be up for consideration for the greatest in postseason history. But there are a few that stick out above the rest.
Jordan Hamilton, Wing/F
The skillset of the former All-American Texas wing Jordan Hamilton was pretty well ahead of its time when he starred for this team in the early 2010s. Hamilton was very productive in the postseason in three NCAA Tournament games over the course of two seasons for the Longhorns.
He averaged around 19 points per game, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, in those three postseason games with Texas in 2010 and 2011. That was highlighted by a double-double in 2011 where Hamilton got the only NCAA Tournament win over his career, coming over Oakland.
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C
As one of the most notable big men in Texas program history, the multi-time NBA All-Star selection and 2005-06 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year LaMarcus Aldridge was invaluable to former head coach Rick Barnes in the mid-2000s. Aldridge helped guide Texas to three NCAA Tournament wins during a magical run under Barnes in 2006.
In four NCAA Tournament games with Texas in 2006, Aldridge averaged around 15 points per game, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks. The peak of his postseason performances for Texas in 2006 came when he registered 26 points and 13 rebounds in a Sweet Sixteen win over the West Virginia Mountaineers.
B.J. Tyler, G
There weren’t many other guards for the Longhorns that were as valuable to their postseason efforts in the early-to-mid 1990s as the 1993-94 Southwest Conference Player of the Year B.J. Tyler. The former DePaul transfer was invaluable to Texas in two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1992 and 1994.
In three NCAA Tournament games played with the Longhorns, Tyler averaged around 19 points per game, three rebounds, six assists, two steals, and no blocks. He peaked in a Round of 32 loss for Texas to the Michigan Wolverines in 1994 where he posted 22 points, six assists, and three steals.