Tramon Mark hit a fadeaway jumper from just inside the three-point line with 1.1 seconds left, and Texas survived a furious late comeback to beat NC State 68-66 on Tuesday night in the First Four.
Mark led the Longhorns with 17 points. Texas, which had lost five of its last six games entering the tournament, moves into the bracket as the No. 11 seed in the West Region and will face sixth-seeded BYU on Thursday night in Portland, Oregon.
“When you lose the last couple, what you don’t want is a continuation of holding on to those negative feelings,” Texas coach Sean Miller said. “We came up here with a clear mind, a good spirit.”
The Longhorns looked to be in control, leading 62-53 with under three minutes left. But NC State scored 10 points in just over a minute, with Paul McNeil Jr. hitting back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Wolfpack within one. Tre Holloman then made one of two free throws to tie it at 66 after the Wolfpack forced a turnover.
Texas ran down most of the clock before Mark connected from 19 feet to put his team back in front. NC State could not get off a shot before the buzzer.
“This one is definitely a first for me,” Mark said. “We had a big lead, they started making some shots. Then I was able to silence the crowd with a big shot like that.”
Matas Vokietaitis scored 15 and Dailyn Swain added 13 for the Longhorns. Chendall Weaver recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Darrion Williams led NC State with 21 points. Quadir Copeland scored 16 and McNeil finished with 11.
Wolfpack coach Will Wade reflected on the loss.
“You are who you are in pressure moments,” Wade said. “That’s why we’re here, and that’s why we’re heading home.”
NC State now faces another offseason overhaul through the transfer portal with seven seniors on the roster.
Texas moves on to face BYU, where Miller will need to find a way to slow down one of the best players in the country, Longhorns star AJ Dybantsa.
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