Texas basketball secured a No. 1 seed in the 2026 NCAA tournament, guaranteeing the Longhorns home-state March Madness advantage all the way to the Final Four in Phoenix.
Texas earned the tournament's No. 3 overall seed on a 31-3 record, and subsequently will host first and second-round games at Austin's Moody Center. If coach Vic Schaefer and team advances past the opening weekend, they'll then travel to Fort Worth for this year's Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
"I'll take this team to Timbuktu," Schaefer said after winning the SEC Tournament on March 8th. "I don't care. They'll go wherever. They don't care. They're good enough."
Texas will next face a First Four contender, opening its March Madness run on Friday against either Missouri State (22-12) or Stephen F. Austin (25-9). The two bottom seeds square off Wednesday night — also at Moody Center — to determine who advances to face the Longhorns.
The winner of Friday's first-round clash would meet either Oregon (22-12) or Virginia Tech (23-9) in Sunday's second round. Potential regional opponents include second-seeded Michigan, third-seeded Louisville, fourth-seeded West Virginia, and fifth-seeded Kentucky.
Texas basketball has won its last 42 games at Moody Center, including all 18 home contests this season.
"You can't get to Fort Worth if you stub your toe in Austin," said star point guard Rori Harmon. "It's not going to be easy."
Schaefer the program ahead of the 2020/21 season, leading Texas to a 7-1 record in March Madness games played in Austin. The Longhorns' lone home loss came in 2023, when No. 4 seed Texas fell to No. 5 Louisville in the NCAA tournament's second round.
Forward Madison Booker also embraced her team's unique postseason opportunity.
"March is the best time to play basketball," she said.
How to Watch Texas Basketball Tip Off 2026 March Madness Action
Texas basketball tips off NCAA tournament first-round play on Friday at 4 PM ET, live on ESPN.
