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Do the Texas women deserve to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? Their coach says yes

danny davis, austin american-statesman
·4 min read
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Texas players celebrate Tuesday night's 70-53 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament championship game. The Longhorns are one of three 30-win teams in the country and are hoping to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Texas players celebrate Tuesday night's 70-53 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament championship game. The Longhorns are one of three 30-win teams in the country and are hoping to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

When it comes to the NCAA Tournament, Texas women's basketball last claimed a No. 1 seed in 2004.

Do the fifth-ranked Longhorns, after their 70-53 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament championship game, deserve to be a No. 1 seed in this year's NCAAs? Texas head coach Vic Schaefer certainly thinks so.

Schaefer made his case for a top seed. He pointed to the conference tournament championship as well as the team's win total and high NET ranking as the highlighted bullet points on the Longhorns' résumé:

"Look what they've done. Look at the gantlet we just went through three of the last four days," Schaefer said after the tournament victory. "Every game we lost, I think they were all one-possession games (Texas has lost four games by a total of 14 points). Again, our NET going into tonight I think was a 3. When you win a league, when you win a championship in a league, you play the schedule these kids have played, I don't know what else we could do.

"I think our body of work, they're 30-4 with a NET of 3. Ain't nobody else got that. So, I mean, they've earned it, in my mind. But you know what? I don't think this group (cares). They don't. I do, but they don't. They will say, 'Hey, where are we playin', what time?' They'll be there. We've got a sayin', when you're the coach, when you know you've got a really good team, all you need to make sure is they know what time the bus is loading and where it's loading from, and as long as the right ones are on the bus, you got a good chance to win.

"That's the thing with this team. As long as this team knows what time the bus is loadin' and where we're loadin' from, I feel really confident in this team. They've done nothing but show me that they can do it. To answer your question, I mean, I think they've earned it. They've done it; they've run the gantlet. If we've got four losses, they're all one-possession games. I think we have more than earned it throughout the course of the season. Anybody else got 30 wins?"

Taylor Jones shouts on the sideline after a Longhorns basket Feb. 4 against Kansas State at Moody Center. UT is in the mix for one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament along with South Carolina, Iowa, USC and Stanford.
Taylor Jones shouts on the sideline after a Longhorns basket Feb. 4 against Kansas State at Moody Center. UT is in the mix for one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament along with South Carolina, Iowa, USC and Stanford.

Vic Schaefer: 'I don't even think it's close'

To answer Schaefer's question, only three teams have won 30 games this season. Along with Texas, No. 1 South Carolina is 32-0 and No. 14 Gonzaga is 30-3.

"I think they're more than deserving," Schaefer said of the Longhorns. "I don't even think it's close. I don't think (the NCAA selection committee) will be spending much time on it, if you ask me. I think they got other things to worry about in that room."

Not everyone agrees with Schaefer, though. In bracketology projections released Wednesday morning, ESPN listed South Carolina, Iowa, Stanford and USC as No. 1 seeds and Texas as a No. 2. Those projections have not changed since USC won the Pac-12 Tournament on March 10.

South Carolina is a virtual lock for the overall top seed. But how does Texas' résumé stack up against Iowa, Stanford and USC?

Caitlin Clark, the biggest name in women's college basketball, cuts down the net after Iowa's overtime win over Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament title game March 10. The Hwkeyes are ranked second in the country.
Caitlin Clark, the biggest name in women's college basketball, cuts down the net after Iowa's overtime win over Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament title game March 10. The Hwkeyes are ranked second in the country.

Iowa (29-4)

The Hawkeyes are No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and the USA Today coaches poll, and they have a NET of 5.

∙ Record vs. NET top 25 teams: 5-2

∙ Record vs. NET top 50s: 14-4

∙ Best NET win: No. 9 Ohio State

∙ Worst NET loss: No. 26 Nebraska

∙ In the Big Ten: Tied for second in the regular season, won the tournament

Stanford's Hannah Jump, center, is congratulated by Cameron Brink, left, and Kiki Iriafen after a 3-point shot in a win over UCLA last month.
Stanford's Hannah Jump, center, is congratulated by Cameron Brink, left, and Kiki Iriafen after a 3-point shot in a win over UCLA last month.

Stanford (28-5)

The Cardinal are No. 4 in the AP Top 25 and No. 5 in the USA Today coaches poll, and they have a NET of 4.

∙ Record vs. NET top 25 teams: 7-4

∙ Record vs. NET top 50s: 13-5

∙ Best NET win: No. 6 UCLA

∙ Worst NET loss: No. 35 Arizona

∙ In the Pac-12: Won the regular-season title, was the runner-up in the tournament

Texas' Madison Booker celebrates in the stands after defeating Kansas on March 9.
Texas' Madison Booker celebrates in the stands after defeating Kansas on March 9.

Texas (30-4)

The Longhorns are No. 5 in the AP Top 25 and No. 4 in the USA Today coaches poll, and they have a NET of 3.

∙ Record vs. NET top 25 teams: 5-2

∙ Record vs. NET top 50s: 12-4

∙ Best NET win: No. 2 UConn

∙ Worst NET loss: No. 28 Oklahoma (twice)

∙ In the Big 12: Second in the regular season, won the tournament

USC guard McKenzie Forbes joins the Trojan Marching Band in making some noise after beating UCLA on March 8.
USC guard McKenzie Forbes joins the Trojan Marching Band in making some noise after beating UCLA on March 8.

USC (26-5)

The Trojans are No. 3 in the AP Top 25 and No. 3 in the USA Today coaches poll,they and have a NET of 10.

∙ Record vs. NET top 25 teams: 8-4

∙ Record vs. NET top 50s: 13-5

∙ Best NET win: No. 4 Stanford (twice)

∙ Worst NET loss: No. 42 Washington

∙ In the Pac-12: Tied for second in the regular season, won the tournament

The NCAA will unveil its bracket at 7 p.m. Sunday. The selection show will be aired on ESPN.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas compares favorably with NCAA contenders Iowa, Stanford, USC