The Texas Longhorns (11) had a long, drawn out fall through the Associated Press poll this season, but have a chance at redemption in the NCAA Tournament.
They take on the Butler Bulldogs (6), another team in search of NCAA Tournament redemption after once losing back-to-back title games in the Big Dance. Despite coming in with a better record and a higher ranking, Butler is assuming a role they have played well the past: underdogs.
CLICK HERE to watch the game live via NCAA.com. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET in Pittsburgh, Penn.
After starting out 10-1 - losing only to a Kentucky team that would go on to finish the regular season 34-0 - Texas made its climb in the AP rankings. But an 8-10 Big 12 record knocked them down several rungs until they eventually fell off the board.
The winner of this game has Notre Dame waiting for them and possibly Kansas or Wichita State if they get past the Irish. Both Texas and Butler also have the misfortune of being drawn in the same region as Kentucky.
Still, Texas has a big, physical frontcourt and Butler is starting to look like the scrappy bunch Brad Stevens once led to two consecutive title games.
"Certainly there's a difference in some ways," Butler's current coach, Chris Holtmann, said in a pregame press conference, according to the AP. "People have mentioned it because we're a smaller school. We'll always be that. It's what makes us special."
