Texas battles Miami for a spot in the Final Four in Houston
The No. 2 seed Texas Longhorns are one win away from reaching the Final Four for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
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Texas (29-8) will take on No. 5 seed Miami (28-7) at 4:05 p.m. on CBS after the Hurricanes took down No. 1 seed Houston 89-75 on Friday. The Longhorns also cruised in the Elite Eight with an 83-71 win over No. 3 Xavier in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score.
This is a game that features the tremendous NCAA Tournament defense of the Longhorns vs. the potent and versatile four-guard lineup of the Hurricanes with one of the nation’s top offensive rebounders collecting second chance scoring opportunities.
The Hurricanes will also bring Elite Eight experience, having lost 76-50 in the round of eight to eventual National Champion Kansas last year. Miami returns five players that have Elite Eight experience, including guards Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller.
Texas interim head coach Rodney Terry coached the Longhorns to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament Championship in Kansas City, securing an automatic bid in the Big Dance. Terry is 22-7 as the interim head coach, including a combined 15-6 in Big 12 regular and postseason play. Texas enters the round of eight on a seven game winning streak.
How to watch the game
Texas and Miami tip-off at 4:05 p.m. Central on CBS with Jim Nantz (play by play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Grant Hill (analyst) and Tracy Wolfson (reporter) calling the action.
The game will be played at the T-Mobile Center (18,500) – Kansas City, Missouri
Texas leads the series 2-1. Texas won the last meeting 75-72 March 23, 2008 in Little Rock. That was a Round of 32 win for Texas that advanced the Longhorns to the Sweet 16 in Houston.
The Rodney Terry File
Rodney Terry enters Tuesday with a career record of 185-163. He had been a head coach at the Division I level for ten years prior to joining Chris Beard’s staff in Austin.
Terry built the Fresno State program up in his time in California. The Bulldogs won 20 or more games in four of Terry’s last five seasons. That included three times in postseason play. Terry sports a 3-1 record in the NCAA Tournament.
No. 5 Miami (Fla.)
2022-23 record: 28-7 (15-5 in the ACC)
How they advanced to the Elite Eight: Beat No. 12 seed Drake 63-56, No. 4 seed Indiana 85-69 and No. 1 seed Houston 89-75
Record vs. Field of 68: 8-5
Head coach: Jim Larranaga
Jim Larranaga inn the NCAA Tournament: 13-10 (1 Final Four, 3 Elite Eight’s, 5 Sweet 16’s)
How the made the field: At-large
KenPom ranking: No. 26
Adjusted Offensive rank: No. 8
Adjusted Defensive rank: No. 104
Points per game: 79.4
Field goal percentage: 48.6%
Three-point percentage: 36.8%
Free throw percentage: 77.6%
Defensive field goal percentage: 44.6%
Miami Hurricanes Starters
CG Isiah Wong, 6-4, junior (16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals)
SG Nijel Pack, 6-0, junior (13.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists)
G/W Wooga Poplar, 6-5, sophomore (8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists)
W/G Jordan Miller, 6-7, senior (15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists)
PF Norchad Omier, 6-7, sophomore (13.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks)
Key Reserves
G Bensely Joseph, 6-2, sophomore (5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists)
G Harlond Beverly, 6-6, junior (3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists)
F Anthony Walker, 6-9, junior (3.0 points, 1.3 rebounds)
Texas Longhorns Starters
PG Tyrese Hunter, 6-1, sophomore (10.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists)
CG Marcus Carr, 6-2, super senior (15.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.7 steals)
F Timmy Allen, 6-5, super senior (10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists)
F Dillon Mitchell, 6-8, freshman (4.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.7 steals)
PF Christian Bishop, 6-7, super senior (6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.9 steals)
The Reserves
SG Sir’Jabari Rice, 6-4, super senior (12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists)
CG Arterio Morris, 6-3, freshman (4.6 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.6 assists)
F Brock Cunningham, 6-6, senior (4.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists)
F Alex Anamekwe, 6-5.5, freshman (1.8 points, 0.8 rebounds)
PF Dylan Disu, 6-9, senior (8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks) – *Disu’s availability for todays game is in doubt.
