WATCH: Longhorns Sir’Jabari Rice Dominates Colgate in March Madness Round 1
When the Texas Longhorns landed the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, seemingly everyone was hyper-focused on a potential Round of 32 showdown against the Texas A&M Aggies.
However, standing between the Longhorns and a potential straight Round of 32 appearance was the No. 15 seed Colgate Raiders - who entered Thursday's contest known for their ability to knock down the three.
That narrative was quickly flipped on its head, though, as the Longhorns - led by Sir'Jabari Rice off the bench - torched Colgate from three. As a team, they shot 13-of-23 from three while Rice himself was a blistering 7-of-10 in the 81-61 win.
Rice finished the game as the Longhorns' leading scorer off the bench with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including the aforementioned 7-of-10 three-point masterclass. It comes as no surprise, of course, as he was named the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year.
As the Longhorns look to make a deep run in the tournament, Rice continuing to give them solid minutes off the bench will help in doing so. No, he may not consistently give them seven threes a game, but he provides consistent scoring and is crucial in the closing minutes of games.
The Longhorns will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Round of 32 on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. CT.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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