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Texas men's and women's programs reach the Sweet 16

by: Josh Florey03/23/26

Texas women’s basketball took care of business in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, defeating 16-seed Missouri State 87-45 and 8-seed Oregon 100-58. This marks the 20th Sweet 16 appearance for Texas, and the 12th since the tournament expanded in 1994. The Horns made to the Sweet 16 it as recently as last year on their way to the Final Four. 

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Now, Vic Schaefer’s team will head to Fort Worth to play the winner of the Kentucky/West Virginia matchup. The Wildcats and Mountaineers play today at 4 p.m. on ESPN2.

The path for the men’s team was much more difficult, having to fight their way past NC State in the First Four before battling with AJ Dybantsa and BYU and knocking off Gonzaga. Texas has now made its 12th Sweet 16, and 9th since expansion in 1985. Sean Miller has also made his 9th as a head coach. The last time the Horns made it was 2023 where they took down Xavier in dominant fashion.

Texas’ men now play the Big Ten Tournament champ Purdue for a chance at an Elite Eight berth. That will take place in San Jose.

Texas is one of a handful of athletic departments that has, or could have, both their men’s and women’s teams in the Sweet 16. They’re joined by Duke, UConn, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, and Alabama. For the Longhorns, it’s the fifth time in school history that both the men’s and women’s programs have reached the Sweet 16 joining 1990, 2003, 2003, and 2004.

Making the Sweet 16 is a much bigger milestone for Miller’s first-year team, as Schaefer’s team is one of the favorites to win it all. 

Either way, both teams have a realistic shot to win their next game and fight on to the Elite Eight. The last time both programs reached that level in the same season? 2003, when both went on to reach the Final Four.

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