Desperation fueling Texas in the NCAA Tournament

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; BYU Cougars guard Robert Wright III (1) and Texas Longhorns guard Tramon Mark (12) rebound in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images Resilience got Sean Miller’s team to the NCAA Tournament, and desperation has helped them win two games. As the No.

11 seed Texas Longhorns try to cement their status as a First Four success story by advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second time since 2008 with a win over the No. 3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs, the Horns need more desperation to keep their run alive. It was a missing element for Texas down the stretch, veering from a five-game winning streak in February to dropping five of its last six games, including a disappointing overtime loss to Oklahoma at home to close the regular season and a one-and-done appearance in the SEC Tournament thanks to an uncompetitive defeat by Ole Miss.

As far back as early February, Miller pointed to that need for desperation when discussing the up-and-down play of senior guard Jordan Pope. “Guys at this time of year, the best of the best guys who are never coming back to college again, they rise because they’re desperate. This is it — I want to win.

I have two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, and that competitive spirit shines,” Miller said. Now Pope is down to those final moments with the help of an iconic three with 1:29 remaining against BYU on Thursday to extend the Texas lead to seven. absolute dagger 🤘 #AlwaysCompete | @JPope0 pic.