Texas Basketball: 3 big overreactions after win vs. OK State
In the last couple of weeks, we've witnessed some of the highs and lows that are representative of the entirety of conference play for Texas basketball this year under head coach Rodney Terry. Texas has looked like a top 25 team and a potential dark horse contender to make another run to the Sweet 16 at times in the last four or five games.
At other times, the Longhorns have gotten blown out by the top contenders from the best conference in college hoops. Texas was convincingly defeated by double-digits on the road against the last two top 10 teams it faced in the last few weeks, including the No. 3 Houston Cougars on Feb. 17 and No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks on Feb. 24.
Texas basketball could finally be finding itself on the brink of the postseason
On the other hand, the Longhorns have looked dominant in its two wins this week in the Big 12. Texas got a convincing double-digit win on the road on Feb. 27 in Lubbock over the Texas Tech Red Raiders, controlling the game end-to-end against a top-25 caliber opponent.
Terry's squad followed up that solid performance in the win over Texas Tech earlier this week with a dominant outing this weekend in a 16-point win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the Moody Center. Texas didn't let up in both halves in the 81-65 win over Oklahoma State.
Texas is now within striking distance of a top five spot in the Big 12 standings, boasting a record in conference play of 8-8 after the win over the Pokes. If Texas wins one or both of its last two games during the regular season, it will at least finish in the top half of the Big 12 entering the conference tournament in a couple of weeks.
Here are three big overreactions following Texas's decisive 16-point win over Oklahoma State on March 2.
Texas will get a top five seed on Selection Sunday
Following the win over the Pokes this weekend, Texas looks to be in a safe spot to at least make it in the NCAA Tournament while avoiding a play-in game. But the ceiling is much higher for the rest of the season after Texas won three of its last four and two in a row this week.
According to TeamRankings, Texas has a 94 percent chance of making the NCAA Tournament and is projected as a seven-seed on Selection Sunday. But the odds of Texas getting a top-five seed in the NCAA Tournament are still within reach. TeamRankings gives Texas a composite 20 percent chance of earning the five seed or higher on Selection Sunday.
That is something that sounded impossible for the Longhorns to even get the five seed in the NCAA Tournament just one week ago.
Texas seems to be hitting its stride at the right time, especially with its recent play at home at the Moody Center. If the Longhorns can get one more win during the regular season, which seems likely given that it will likely be favored in the finale against the Oklahoma Sooners next week, that gives them six Quad 1 entering the Big 12 Tournament.
Six Quad 1 wins puts Texas in the conversation among the top 20 teams with the most in college hoops this season. That is a good spot to be in entering Selection Sunday.