The Texas Longhorns have chosen to move on from head men’s basketball coach Rodney Terry after more than two seasons in charge, per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. The decision marks the end of Terry’s tenure with the program as Texas looks for new leadership.
Terry’s dismissal follows Texas’ (19-16, 6-12 SEC) second-half meltdown against Xavier in the First Four play-in game, where the 11-seeded Longhorns fell 86-80 on Thursday night in Dayton.
Texas’ early exit from the 2025 NCAA Tournament wasn’t enough to secure Terry’s job, especially after the team barely made the 68-team field following an unexpected run to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals last week.
Although reaching his third consecutive NCAA Tournament was a positive, it wasn’t enough to convince Texas leadership to keep Terry. Over nearly three seasons as head coach, including his interim role in 2022-23 after Chris Beard’s midseason departure, Terry compiled a 62-37 record (.626 winning percentage).
Though Thursday night’s early NCAA Tournament exit sealed Terry’s fate, it was his surprising Elite Eight run in 2023 that earned him the full-time head coaching role that March.
Despite some unfavorable metrics, including a 52nd-ranked WAB (Wins Above Bubble) rating, Texas still secured an NCAA Tournament bid. Notably, bubble teams like North Carolina and Ohio State, which were among the “First Four Out,” ranked ahead of the Longhorns in this metric.
Texas’ SEC Tournament run, highlighted by a dominant first-round win over 12th-seeded Vanderbilt and a thrilling double-overtime upset of No. 14 Texas A&M, helped boost their NCAA Tournament chances despite skepticism from many bracketologists. However, without a deep March Madness run, Terry’s fate seemed sealed as Texas struggled with consistency throughout his second full season, finishing just 6-12 in SEC play.
Texas now shifts its attention to finding its fourth head men’s basketball coach since Rick Barnes’ departure in 2015 after a 17-season tenure.
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