Texas women’s basketball is entering the SEC Tournament with high hopes of claiming a championship before the NCAA Tournament begins later this month. The Longhorns, seeded No. 3, will face 11th-seeded Alabama in Friday’s quarterfinals at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.

SEC Tournament as a Gateway to NCAA Glory

Throughout the winter, the Longhorns have chased championships, with notable wins over UCLA and South Carolina at the Players Era event in Las Vegas. However, they fell short of securing the SEC regular-season title, finishing two games behind South Carolina in a tie with Vanderbilt. Despite that, the team’s strong performance in conference play—13-3—has positioned them as a serious contender in the SEC Tournament.

“It’s tournament time. It’s March. It’s the best time of the season right now,” said UT forward Madison Booker, highlighting the significance of this week’s competition.

The Longhorns (28-3) have built a reputation for contention under head coach Vic Schaefer, who has led Texas to Big 12 titles in 2022 and 2024. Last season, the team reached the SEC Tournament final in its first year in the conference, and Schaefer believes the tournament is crucial for the program’s trajectory.

“I mean, we’re trying to win a championship,” Schaefer said, emphasizing the team’s focus on securing a title in Greenville.

SEC Tournament: A Competitive Battleground

The SEC has historically been one of the most competitive women’s basketball conferences in the nation, with a track record of sending multiple teams to the Sweet 16. This year’s tournament is no exception, as five of the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s projected top-16 seeds are expected to be in the field.

ESPN predicted that 10 SEC teams will make the NCAA Tournament, with the conference’s depth making it a high-stakes competition. Even Kentucky, which did not earn a top-eight seed in the SEC Tournament, is a contender in the national rankings, having been ranked No. 17 in the latest Associated Press poll.

Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has questioned the necessity of the conference tournament, noting that teams often “beat each other up” in the process. “All we do in the SEC is beat each other up,” she said, referencing the league’s consistent success in the NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky’s Kenny Brooks described the tournament as “brutal,” while Schaefer defended its importance. “Nobody has the January and February that we as coaches and our players in the SEC have. Nobody,” he said, acknowledging the unique challenges of the SEC schedule.

Schaefer, who previously led Mississippi State to four consecutive SEC championship games, believes the tournament is vital for the league’s growth. However, he has proposed some changes, including moving the event out of South Carolina’s backyard and reducing the gap between the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

Texas’s Path to a Championship

Texas enters the tournament with a strong résumé, having been projected as the fourth and final No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament if the event had started earlier this week. However, the Longhorns must now contend with teams like Vanderbilt and LSU, who are also vying for top seeds in the NCAA bracket.

The tournament’s intensity is expected to be high, with players like Booker and senior point guard Rori Harmon having played 113 and 109 of a possible 120 minutes during the three-day stretch at Bon Secours Wellness Arena last season. The physical demands of the tournament are a testament to the competition’s rigor.

“I think we all have an edge to us,” Harmon said, reflecting on the team’s determination to secure a title despite falling short of the regular-season crown. “We didn’t really obtain the goal of winning the conference and whatnot, but I think now there’s still an opportunity for more championships.”

As the Longhorns prepare for Friday’s match against Alabama, the focus is on proving their dominance in the SEC and earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament. With the tournament serving as a critical stepping stone, Texas women’s basketball is ready to make its mark in the national landscape.