Texas holds off late Penn State rally to advance to Sweet 16

Dylan Disu had a season-high 28 factors on 14-for-20 taking pictures, steadying Texas down the stretch after a late Penn State surge and main the Longhorns to their first regional in 15 years with a 71-66 victory within the second spherical of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday evening.

The second-seeded Longhorns (28-8) made simply considered one of 13 pictures from 3-point land, so Disu turned this right into a mid-range sport. He went 5-for-5 over the ultimate 4 1/2 minutes and grabbed 10 rebounds for good measure.

Sir’Jabari Rice scored 13 factors for Texas, which is able to play the Pittsburgh-Xavier winner on Friday within the Midwest Region semifinals in Kansas City, Missouri. The Eleventh-seeded Panthers and third-seeded Musketeers meet on Sunday.

Camren Wynter had 16 factors for the Tenth-seeded Nittany Lions (23-14), who have been coming off their first NCAA Tournament victory in 20 years. Second-team All-American Jalen Pickett had 11 factors and 10 rebounds with seven turnovers.

Dylan Disu #1 of the Texas Longhorns reacts after a made basket towards the Penn State Nittany Lions in the course of the second half within the second spherical of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.  (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Andrew Funk (12 factors) and Seth Lundy (11 factors) rallied after a scoreless first half for every, however the high two 3-point shooters within the Big Ten this season went a mixed 4-for-16. Penn State was 8-for-28 from deep, regardless of a gradual stream of unpolluted seems within the second half.

The outdoors pictures that every crew leaned on the primary spherical principally dried up, with the Longhorns going 31:18 with out one till Rice, who hit seven 3s on Thursday, linked for a 55-48 lead.

Nittany Lions responded with a 10-0 run. Myles Dread, the one man with an out of doors rhythm, hit his fourth 3-pointer of the sport with 6:08 left to chop the deficit to at least one. After Wynter gave Penn State its first lead since 4-3 with a pair of free throws, Timmy Allen threw a wild move into the backcourt for a Texas turnover that Lundy tracked down for a layup to make it 58-55.

Texas guard Tyrese Hunter (4) celebrates with teammate guard Sir’Jabari Rice (10) within the first half of a second-round faculty basketball sport towards Penn State within the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. ((AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON’S EXPLICIT ABBREVIATION PUTS INTERNET IN FRENZY AFTER MARCH MADNESS UPSET

But Disu got here again with three straight baskets, a layup, a jumper and a turnaround to present Texas the lead again for good. Wynter took a vital over-and-back name out of a timeout with 1:59 left that Marcus Carr adopted with a layup for Texas.

Carr fouled Lundy on a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left for a four-point play that made it a one-possession sport, however Carr completed off the sport with a pair of free throws. After the ultimate horn, Allen flashed a giant smile as he approached Rice for a hug and yelled, “Sweet 16, child!”

Texas final went to the regional semifinal in 2008 and hasn’t made the Final Four since 2003. Interim coach Rodney Terry was an assistant on that crew, and the strong-bonded Longhorns have made no secret of their love for his or her unassuming, raspy-voiced chief who took over in December for Chris Beard within the fallout from a since-dropped home violence cost.

NO ‘D’ FOR DISU

The Nittany Lions did a positive job defending a Texas crew that went 13 for 23 from 3-point vary within the first spherical, however Disu was a distinct story. Hailing from Pflugerville, Texas, simply outdoors Austin, Disu joined the Longhorns final season after beginning his profession at Vanderbilt.

Disu, named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Tournament, is the tallest participant at 6-foot-9 on this guard-dominant crew. His lengthy arms and talent to softly drop in these rainbow floaters in and across the paint, a ability he lately added to his sport, make him play greater than he’s.

Texas ahead Dylan Disu celebrates after making a basket within the second half of a first-round faculty basketball sport towards Colgate within the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

SECURITY PERIMETER

The Longhorns squeezed Colgate’s best-in-the-country 3-point taking pictures of their first-round victory, when the Raiders went 3 for 15 from lengthy vary.

Penn State introduced the identical perimeter menace, ranked fifth within the nation and contemporary off a 13-for-23 clinic within the first-round win over Texas A&M. The Nittany Lions set the all-time single-season Big Ten document for made 3-pointers.

This Texas protection certain has some sharp enamel, although. The Longhorns held their earlier 5 opponents, together with Kansas twice and TCU, to a mean of 57 factors per sport. Funk pulled up from the suitable wing for a 3-pointer simply 14 seconds into the sport that hit the entrance of the rim, an indication of how the evening was going to unfold. Carr, Rice and Tyrese Hunter all took turns following him round.