Is Texas still in March Madness 2023? Current status and qualification for Sweet 16 explored

The 68-team NCAA Tournament pool has been cut down drastically as March Madness continues. Texas is still alive in the hunt.

As the Sweet 16 games approach this week, the dream of cutting down the nets and lifting the trophy remains for every team.

Texas, seeded second in the Midwest region, produced a convincing performance in the first round, taking down 15-seeded Colgate 81-61. The Longhorns followed with a suffocating defensive performance in the second round, stifling Penn State's strong shooting in a 71-66 victory.

Senior Dylan Disu stepped up against Penn State. The 6-foot-9 forward produced 28 points on 14-for-20 shooting along with 10 rebounds. He was one point short of his career high. A 9.1 point-per-game scorer on the year, Disu had it going, and the team benefitted in a major way.

The Longhorns have also received a notable lift from Sir'Jabari Rice in the tournament. He came off the bench to knock down seven 3-pointers and finished with 23 points against Colgate.

Rice followed this up by with 13 points against Penn State. The 6-foot-4 senior has been the team's second-leading scorer all season, averaging 12.9 ppg, and provides a good scoring balance off the bench.

Texas will still be hoping for improved production from stars Marcus Carr and Timmy Allen. Carr is the team's leading scorer at 15.8 ppg. While he scored 17 points in the opening matchup, he shot just 4-for-11 against Penn State, ending with 10 points. Allen has also yet to fully find his stride, combining for just 13 points through the opening two games.

This also speaks towards the upside for the Longhorns as they still have levels of success yet to be uncovered in this tournament.

Texas' chances vs. Xavier

The Longhorns (28-8) will face Xavier(27-9) in a 2 vs. 3 matchup in the Midwest region at 9:45 p.m. EST on Thursday on CBS.

Texas is considered a 4.5-point favorite and is regarded as the more talented team. Xavier has looked solid throughout this season and in the tournament but has had a clear route to this point, knocking off 14-seeded Kennesaw State and 11-seeded Pittsburgh.

This will be Texas' first Sweet 16 since 2008 and is not an opportunity it will take lightly. The Longhorns will need to shut down Xavier's high-powered offense, which is the 11th-best in the nation at 81.2 ppg. They also rank first in assists per game at 19.3 and have a well-balanced attack with five different players averaging 10.3 or more points per game.

Expect some offensive fireworks. Both teams are built for a deep tournament run as we are past the point in the tournament where any weak links have survived. Texas has more athleticism, the necessary scoring firepower and a balanced roster, but it will require a team effort to come out on top.