The Texas basketball team is having a memorable season under first-year head coach Sean Miller. Miller has his team in the Sweet 16, after making the NCAA tournament as one of the final four teams selected. Texas is advancing after defeating Gonzaga on Saturday.
The Longhorns shouldn't be considered a Cinderella despite getting into the Sweet 16 as a no. 11 seed, Miller said.
“I don't think we ever really want to sign up to be the Cinderella story because we are the University of Texas and, look, we represent the SEC as well,” Miller said after defeating Gonzaga, per The Next Round.
"I don't think we ever really want to sign up to be the Cinderella story because we are the University of Texas and, look, we represent the SEC as well." – Sean Miller after 11th-seeded Texas' win over Gonzaga to send the Longhorns to the Sweet 16 pic.twitter.com/s0ChEMi32R
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) March 22, 2026
Texas has wins in March Madness over North Carolina State, BYU and now Gonzaga. This is Miller's first season in Austin, after previously coaching at Xavier.
“Our ride has never been easy, but we fought the good fight the whole way and we did it again,” Miller said after defeating Gonzaga, per the Associated Press.
Texas defeated the Bulldogs on Saturday, 74-68. Camden Heide made a clutch three-pointer to essentially seal the game for the Longhorns with just seconds left.
“He’s our best 3-point shooter. To not have him in there, I just didn’t think it made any sense, because what happens is exactly what happened,” Miller said. “The play gets broken, a guy makes a drive, pivots, Next thing you know, you find someone.”
Miller also was the head coach at Arizona. He has made the Elite Eight with both Arizona and Xavier, but never reached a Final Four. Texas fans hope that he is able to accomplish that feat this March Madness.
The last First Four team to reach the Sweet 16 was UCLA, which made it in 2021. UCLA reached the Final Four that season under head coach Mick Cronin.
