You have to go back awhile, 1980 to be exact, to find the last time two teams from Texas made it to the Sweet 16 in the same year. Texas A&M’s great front line, “The Wall” of Claude Riley, Rudy Woods, Vernon Smith and Rynn Wright knocked off North Carolina in OT in Denton to reach the Sweet 16 before losing to Darrell Griffith and Louisville’s “Doctors of Dunk,” who eventually went on to win the championship. And Lamar, which introduced us to the magic of Billy Tubbs, defeated Oregon State to get to the Sweet 16, but then lost to Clemson.
Now it’s Texas A&M and Texas Tech’s turn. It’s the Texas college basketball version of Halley’s Comet. Can the Aggies and Red Raiders move beyond the Sweet 16 and gain an Elite Eight berth or, GASP, a spot in the Final Four, where there might be a little more than a home court advantage playing before friendly faces in San Antonio.
Of course, the Aggies know any home court edge might not mean much given their demolition of North Carolina in Charlotte on Sunday, and they’ll have their hands full with a Michigan team that has as creative an offense as you’ll see in college basketball. The Wolverines may also be feeling a little bit of destiny as they’re in this game because of the buzzer beater by Jordan Poole that knocked off Houston (goodness there were almost three Texas teams in the Sweet 16).
What a weird year it’s been for the Aggies. The team ranked in the top five to start the season. They were good enough to beat West Virginia by 30 on opening night. The team with front court players in Robert Williams, Tyler Davis and D.J. Hogg that conjures up memories of “The Wall.” But this team, ravaged by injury and suspension, went 9-9 in SEC play, and then were stunned by the full court dash of Collin Sexton of Alabama to lose in the SEC Tournament opener, never could play to its full potential. But against North Carolina that was unleashed. And now with really good guard play from T.J. Starks and Adnan Gilder to complement that front line, no one should be surprised if A&M is in the Elite Eight for the first time.
As for Texas Tech, really, no one should be surprised they’re here given how they played all year. The only surprise is why so few saw the possibility of this. Indeed, were it not for Keenan Evans toe injury (still not 100 percent but now good enough to play) we’d probably be talking about how Texas Tech ended the Kansas Big 12 regular season dynasty. Like Devonte Graham at Kansas and Jevon Carter at West Virginia (both also in the Sweet 16), the presence of Evans has meant everything to Tech, and his ability to read the game and do whatever is needed – whether it’s hitting a big shot or penetrating and throwing the lob to the rim – will be crucial against their mirror image in Purdue. A blue collar, get in your face team that will not back down.
The biggest question might be Will You Watch? Dallas/Ft Worth was 40th among metered markets (out of 56) for an opening weekend that by any NCAA Tournament standard was stupendous in its drama, if not always in its quality of play. Perhaps, now, with the field narrowed down, and two Texas teams playing on the second weekend for the first time in 38 years, that will change. Because now that the Sweet 16 is here, the fun will really begin.
