AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas didn’t make the NCAA Tournament field of 64, but they snuck into the field of 68.
The Longhorns were one of the last teams included in the tournament and will play a First Four game March 18 or 19 in Dayton, Ohio, against the Xavier Musketeers. A win will give them a No. 11 seed in the official first round of March Madness against No. 6 seed Illinois on March 21 in the Midwest Region.
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In their first season in the Southeastern Conference, the Longhorns posted a 19-15 overall record and 6-12 in SEC play. With the SEC’s strength this season, the selection committee felt six regular season wins plus two in the conference tournament were enough to give them a shot in the play-in round.
Texas posted seven Quad 1 wins, two more than last season. They were a No. 7 seed in the tournament last year.
Houston is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region.
Texas A&M is the No. 4 seed in the South Region and will face 13-seed Yale, the Ivy League champions.
Auburn is the No. 1 overall seed playing in the South Region. The SEC earned 14 bids, a record for any conference in tournament history.
Reaction and quotes from Texas head coach Rodney Terry will be added to this story
