Candy Similarities as No. 2-seed Texas appears to be like to previous success in 83-71 win over No. 3-seed Xavier

15 years have handed since Texas final appeared within the Candy 16, and on Friday, the Longhorns noticed many flashbacks to the 2008 match after their victory over Xavier.

Head coach Rick Barnes led No. 2-seed Texas all the way in which to the Elite 8 over a decade in the past the place he and his squad have been eradicated by No. 1-seed Memphis. Nonetheless, previous to the regional last, the Longhorns defeated No. 3-seed Stanford within the Candy 16 — much like Friday’s matchup between No. 2-seed Texas and No. 3-seed Xavier.

Within the Longhorns’ final dance within the regional semis, they carried a giant, forward-heavy lineup in opposition to Stanford, and it was guard DJ Augustin and ahead Damion Jones who led the Longhorns with 23 and 18 factors, respectively. 

Nonetheless, over the course of the match, Texas’ guards proved because the crew’s offensive catalysts as Augustin, together with AJ Abrams, mixed to common over 35 factors per recreation.

The Longhorn guards replicated that success on Friday as graduate guards Marcus Carr, Sir’Jabari Rice and sophomore Tyrese Hunter mixed for 53 of the groups 83 factors, taking pictures 54% from the sphere.

Barnes and the Longhorns defeated Stanford in a landslide 72-52 victory, incomes their second 20-point victory margin of the match. Texas earned a convincing win over Austin Peay within the first spherical.

In a similar way on Friday, Texas confidently defeated Xavier by a 12-point margin that flattered the Musketeers. The Horns led for everything of the sport. 

The Longhorns’ run in 2008 marked the shut of a decade that noticed them attain the Candy 16 5 instances, together with three Elite-8 performances and a stint within the Last 4 with Kevin Durant.

The 12 months additionally started the 15-year drought of Candy 16 appearances that got here to an finish on Friday.

Regardless of the absence, interim head coach Rodney Terry isn’t new to the Huge Dance. Terry served beneath Barnes from 2002-2011 and labored intently with the Longhorns as they made constant pushes in March, together with throughout their run in 2008.

Now, Terry and Texas have an opportunity to push previous the Elite 8 on Sunday and attain their first Last 4 since 2006.

“Over the course of my profession you be taught that something can occur in March,” Terry mentioned after the win on Friday. “That’s why it’s the Insanity.”