Sean Miller Sends Message About How Dangerous Texas Can Be

With their 79-71 win over the No. 6-seed BYU Cougars, the No. 11-seed Texas Longhorns appear to be one of the most dangerous teams in the country. With BYU originally projected to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, the Longhorns have now become a focal point of March Madness.

After the win, Texas' head coach Sean Miller took the podium to discuss his program advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Despite being faced with freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa, both the Longhorns' offense and defense stepped up in big moments throughout the contest.

"When you connect the defense with the offense that we've played, you have a team that's certainly dangerous," Miller said. "That's what I would call us right now."

Miller's message matched the way his team played. A strong defensive effort from the Longhorns in the second half, combined with a standout offensive performance from Texas' center Matas Vokietaitis, eventually led to Miller's squad moving on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Miller Credits Texas' Resilience in Upset Win

Texas Longhorns' head coach Sean Miller — Jan 17, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller reacts during the first half in a 74-70 loss against the Texas A&M Aggies at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

"Resilient"

It's a word that's followed Texas the entire season, and after its upset win over BYU, it feels more fitting than ever. The Cougars, who contended with some of the Big 12's best this season, entered March with a deep NCAA Tournament run in mind. As the Longhorns have done time and time again, they embraced the challenge rather than shying away from it.

"I'm beyond thrilled to be able to advance and have the opportunity to play into the next round," Miller said. "I'm thrilled for the University of Texas. Thrilled for these guys. One word I would use to describe our group is resilient. Nothing has ever been easy for us starting with our opening game against Duke in Charlotte. From there, we've fought the fight a number of times throughout the year."

As most surrounding the program remember, the Longhorns opened their 2025-26 campaign with a matchup against the No. 1-seed Duke Blue Devils. Texas also closed its nonconference schedule with a matchup against the the No. 2-seed UConn Huskies. While Miller and his squad were handed defeat in both contests, the losses prepared Texas for the grind that is SEC conference play.

As the head coach mentioned, the Longhorns faced their fair share of setbacks this season. Texas has rarely found an easy win, especially late in the regular season. Texas finished the regular season with an even 9-9 record, but struggled down the stretch leading up to Selection Sunday.

Losing five of six games between the months of February and March certainly didn't help the program's case for an NCAA Tournament appearance. Despite that, Texas was given a spot in the First Four, and has wasted no time proving it belonged in March Madness.

The resilience that the Longhorns have experience throughout this season has become more than just a theme, it's become part of their foundation. It's why their still standing, and why, as Miller described, this group continued to fight. In a tournament that's known for rewarding toughness, that resilience could take Texas further than expected.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.