The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men’s Basketball ranked No. 18 in Blue Ribbon preseason top 25
09.08.2023 | Men's Basketball
The Longhorns return four rotational players from last year’s team that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas Men's Basketball team is ranked No. 18 in Chris Dortch's Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook preseason top 25, the publication recently announced. The Longhorns open the upcoming 2023-24 regular season with a home game against Incarnate Word on Monday, Nov. 6.
Texas returns four rotational players (Brock Cunningham, Dylan Disu, Tyrese Hunter and Dillon Mitchell) from Rodney Terry's first season in Austin, when the Longhorns posted an overall record of 29-9 (12-6 Big 12, second) and ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 7 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll. The No. 5 spot marked a tie for the highest ranking in the final AP poll by the Longhorns, as UT also was No. 5 in the final AP poll during the 2002-03 Final Four season. The No. 7 spot marked the third-highest ranking in the final Coaches poll in program history and highest since a No. 5 ranking following the 2007-08 season.
The Longhorns advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time since 2008 and eighth time in program history. UT captured its second Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship title in program history, defeating No. 3 Kansas, 76-56, in the championship game in Kansas City, Mo. The Longhorns earned a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, marking the highest seed for Texas in the NCAA tourney since 2008 (also a No. 2 seed).
The 29 wins were the third-most in a single season in program history, as UT went 31-7 in 2007-08 and 30-7 in 2005-06. The Longhorns compiled a 10-7 record against AP Top 25 opponents in 2022-23, and the 10 wins were the most in the nation against AP-ranked foes. The 10 wins against AP-ranked opponents also set a school single-season record, as UT previously went 8-5 in 2003-04. Texas posted a 6-3 mark against AP Top 11 foes during the 2022-23 season and tied a program single-season record for most games played (38). UT began the year at No. 12 in the preseason AP poll and spent all 19 weeks of the poll in the top 12, including 17 consecutive weeks in the top 10. That marked the longest such stretch since Texas was in the top 10 for all 19 polls during the 2002-03 Final Four season.
The Longhorns were one of three teams to rank in the top 15 in KenPom in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. Texas (15 offense, 13 defense) was joined by UConn (3 offense, 7 defense) and Houston (11 offense, 5 defense).
2023-24 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Preseason Top 25
|
Rank |
Team |
|
1. |
Kansas |
|
2. |
Purdue |
|
3. |
Connecticut |
|
4. |
Marquette |
|
5. |
Michigan State |
|
6. |
Tennessee |
|
7. |
Duke |
|
8. |
Arkansas |
|
9. |
Creighton |
|
10. |
Baylor |
|
11. |
Kentucky |
|
12. |
Houston |
|
13. |
Gonzaga |
|
14. |
FAU |
|
15. |
Arizona |
|
16. |
North Carolina |
|
17. |
Texas A&M |
|
18. |
TEXAS |
|
19. |
Alabama |
|
20. |
Mississippi State |
|
21. |
USC |
|
22. |
Miami |
|
23. |
Colorado |
|
24. |
Villanova |
|
25. |
San Diego State |
