ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas named 11 teams he sees as legitimate national championship contenders.
Texas was mentioned among Bilas’ list of national title hopefuls. The Longhorns currently sit ranked at No. 10 in the nation at 17-3, tied on top of the Big 12 Conference standings.
There are plenty of reasons why Texas is a trendy pick to play well in March.
Texas is an experienced group with lots of college basketball under its belt. The core of Marcus Carr, Timmy Allen and Tyrese Hunter are no strangers to the big stage.
Depth is an area where Texas holds an advantage over many teams in the nation. The Longhorns bench has been critical in their success thus far, averaging over 25 points per game in Big 12 play.
Playing elite competition is something Texas is used to while keeping up with the gauntlet of the Big 12 schedule. Every night in the league is a dogfight on the court.
Here is a complete look at the 11 programs Bilas believes can make a championship run in the NCAA Tournament.
Purdue
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 21-1
ESPN BPI: No. 6
AP Ranking: No. 1
Alabama
Syndication: Tuscaloosa News
Record: 18-3
ESPN BPI: No. 4
AP Ranking: No. 4
Houston
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 20-2
ESPN BPI: No. 1
AP Ranking: No. 3
UCLA
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 17-4
ESPN BPI: No. 3
AP Ranking: No. 9
Arizona
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 19-3
ESPN BPI: No. 14
AP Ranking: No. 5
Tennessee
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 18-3
ESPN BPI: No. 2
AP Ranking: No. 2
Texas
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 17-4
ESPN BPI: No. 5
AP Ranking: No. 10
Kansas
Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 17-4
ESPN BPI: No. 10
AP Ranking: No. 8
Xavier
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 17-5
ESPN BPI: No. 28
AP Ranking: No. 16
UCONN
Syndication: The Enquirer
Record: 16-6
ESPN BPI: No. 7
AP Ranking: No. 24
Virginia
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 16-3
ESPN BPI: No. 12
AP Ranking: No. 6
