Sarah Graves would 'do anything' for her teammates and the feeling is mutual

The Texas Longhorns charged into the NCAA Tournament with a resounding 87-45 victory over Missouri State.

As the Horns built their double-digit lead to 42 points, fans weren't chanting for starters like Rori Horman or Madison Booker; they were chanting for a player who has averaged five minutes per game this season: Sarah Graves.

Graves started as a walk-on player for head coach Vic Schaefer and quickly became one of the most beloved athletes in all of Texas athletics, capturing the hearts and attentions of Longhorn fans.

As the Horns dismantled the Missouri State Lady Bears, a chorus of "We want Sarah!" chants started to ring out throughout Moody Center. Of course, Schaefer couldn't help but put her into the game.

When Graves put a spin move on one of Missouri State's defenders to score her first bucket, and the last one for Texas, of the game, the arena erupted.

"I used to get nervous... rubbing my hands down my legs while sitting on the bench," Graves reflected on where her career started. "Now, I don't even think twice about it when I go check in."

Sarah Graves is the Cinderella story of Texas's tournament run

For the postgame press conference, Schaefer brought the usual suspects along with him: Harmon, Booker, and Jordan Lee. However, the topic of Graves couldn't be avoided, as one member of the media asked what it meant to see her excel.

"She pours so much into us every day and, I mean, I've been here with Sarah for quite some time, so I truly feel that from the bottom of my heart," Harmon said. "How excited I get and our teammates get for her, because she's always just giving and giving, and never expects anything."

"Her teammates, they care deeply about her because they know she cares deeply about them," Schaefer said. "It's a fun time, it's great that you can play those kids in that moment. Of course, the crowd, the crowd's pretty cool too."

When I told Graves about her three teammates praising her, the senior guard couldn't help the massive grin that spread across her face.

"They're my family," Graves said about her teammates. "I've told them that I would do anything for them, for the rest of their lives... I can't stop smiling. This just made me so happy. I really do just love them so much."

From creating graphics and merchandise for the program to bringing the best celebrations on the bench, Graves has done a lot for the Longhorns, and it's impossible to deny the impact she has had on her team or the program as a whole.

Graves finished the game with her one bucket, scoring two points in two minutes of play, but the energy that she brought throughout the entirety of the first-round matchup was enough for a lifetime.

Up next, Graves and the No. 1-seed Texas Longhorns will face the No. 8-seed Oregon Ducks in a second-round matchup on Sunday, March 22. Tip-off time and the broadcast channel have yet to be announced.