Texas will play South Dakota State as No. 2 seed in NIT

After failing to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons, the Texas Longhorns are headed to the NIT as a 2 seed.

Texas will host 7-seeded South Dakota State (24-8, 14-2) for that first round matchup on Tuesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Central on ESPN.

Sitting at 16-16 (8-10 Big 12) on the season following five losses throughout their past six games, including three consecutive defeats, the Longhorns entered Selection Sunday seemingly just on the outside of the bubble looking in, as evident with Texas being among the ‘First Four Out,’ per ESPN’s Bracketology.

Texas, of course, was left out when the NCAA Tournament’s field of 68 was set, which, in turn, paved the way for the Longhorns’ fifth-ever NIT appearance and the program’s first since 1986.

The Longhorns are 6-3 all-time in the NIT, and won the NIT Championship in 1978 following four wins over Temple, Nebraska, Rutgers, and N.C. State by a combined 61 points.