The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
21-13,9-9Big 12
Tennessee
26-8,14-4SEC
Men's Basketball falls to No. 6/6 Tennessee 62-58 in NCAA Second Round
03.24.2024 | Men's Basketball
The Longhorns conclude the season with a 21-13 overall record.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sophomore guard Chendall Weaver and junior guard Tyrese Hunter each posted 13 points, but Texas dropped a hard-fought 62-58 decision to No. 6/6 Tennessee (26-8) in a NCAA Tournament Second Round game on Saturday night at Spectrum Center. The Longhorns, who are one of just eight programs in NCAA Division I men's basketball to advance to at least the NCAA Round of 32 in each of the last three years, concluded the 2023-24 season with a 21-13 overall record.
Weaver converted 3-of-7 field goals (1-of-3 threes) and went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line in 26 minutes. Hunter hit 6-of-11 field goals and added six rebounds and two assists in 38 minutes. Graduate forward Dylan Disu posted 12 points, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 35 minutes, and graduate guard Max Abmas tallied 10 points, a season-high eight rebounds, two assists, one blocked shot and one steal in 34 minutes.
Just as it was in Thursday night's NCAA First Round 56-44 victory over Colorado State, the Texas defense was outstanding during Saturday's contest. The Longhorns limited Tennessee to 33.8-percent (22-65) field goal shooting, including a 3-of-25 (.120) mark from three-point range, on the evening.
A Disu turnaround jumper brought the Longhorns to within 10-8 at the 11:23 mark, before Tennessee used a 6-0 spurt to build a 16-8 advantage following a Josiah-Jordan James put-back with 9:39 left. Texas responded with six-straight points to trim the margin to 16-14 after a Dillon Mitchell put-back at the 7:50 mark.
The Longhorns cut the gap to 18-17 following an Abmas three-pointer with 6:38 remaining, but the Volunteers answered with a 10-0 run over the next five minutes to increase their cushion to 28-17 after a Dalton Knecht layup at the 1:28 mark. An Ithiel Horton jumper with 1:03 left proved to be the final score of the first half, and Tennessee took a 28-19 lead into the break.
A pair of Weaver free throws trimmed the margin to 30-23 at the 17:54 mark, but the Volunteers converted back-to-back baskets to build a 34-23 advantage after a Knecht put-back dunk with 15:18 remaining. Tennessee extended its cushion to 40-28 following another Knecht put-back at the 12:59 mark, before the Longhorns went on a 9-1 run over the next three minutes to cut the deficit to 41-37 after a pair of Disu free throws with 10:05 left.
An Abmas three-pointer brought the Longhorns to within 45-42 at the 7:15 mark. The Vols responded with an 8-2 spurt over the next three minutes to take a 53-44 advantage following a James three-pointer with 4:23 remaining. Texas went on a 9-2 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes to cut the deficit to 55-53 after a Hunter layup in transition at the 1:53 mark.
A Jonas Aidoo free throw gave Tennessee a 56-53 cushion with 48 seconds left, before an Abmas layup trimmed the margin to 56-55 with 34 seconds remaining. That was as close as the Longhorns could get, as the Volunteers sealed the victory by hitting six-straight free throws in the final 25 seconds.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
NCAA Tournament Second Round
#6/6 Tennessee 62, Texas 58
March 23, 2024
Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
Attendance: 18,382
Team Notes
- Texas concluded the 2023-24 season with a 21-13 overall record.
- UT fell to 40-41 all-time in the NCAA Tournament (in 38 appearances).
- Rodney Terry dropped to 4-2 in NCAA Tournament contests as head coach of the Longhorns (4-3 in his collegiate career as a head coach).
- Texas fell to 5-3 in NCAA Tournament games over the last three years.
- The Longhorns are one of just EIGHT programs to advance to at least the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in each of the last three seasons, joining Kansas, Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor, Creighton, Michigan State and Tennessee.
- Texas limited the Volunteers to 33.8-percent (20-55) shooting from the floor, including a 3-of-25 (.120) mark from three-point range, during the contest.
- The Longhorns fought back from a 12-point deficit (40-28) with 12:59 remaining in the contest and pulled to within one point (56-55) with 34 seconds left.
- Texas held Tennessee to 28.6-percent (10-35) field goal shooting, including a 1-of-13 (.077) mark from three-point range, in the opening 20 minutes.
- Reached double figures in scoring (10 points) for the 31st time this year (34 games) and 143rd time in his career (157 games)
- Set his season high in rebounds (8), previous: 6, twice
- Concluded his collegiate career ranked No. 8 on the NCAA Division I men's all-time scoring list with 3,132 points
- Concluded his collegiate career ranked No. 3 on the NCAA Division I men's all-time career three-point field goals made chart (512)
- Concluded his collegiate career holding the UT record for most career games played (147) and most career wins (110)
- Reached double figures in scoring (12 points) for the 18th time this year (25 games) and 64th time in his career (136 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the 19th time this year (33 games) and 59th time in his career (106 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the ninth time this year (34 games) and 24th time in his career (66 games)
- Converted a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line
