Texas Fires Basketball Coach Rodney Terry After Disappointing Season
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) โ The University of Texas has parted ways with basketball coach Rodney Terry, announcing his dismissal on Sunday after a lackluster first season in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and a second consecutive early exit from the NCAA Tournament.
Terry, who had taken over as interim head coach in 2022-2023 following the firing of Chris Beard, led the Longhorns to an impressive Elite Eight run that season. Texas won the Big 12 Conference Tournament and reached its deepest NCAA Tournament run since 2008. His success under such trying circumstances earned him the full-time position and a five-year, $15 million contract.
However, the following season proved to be a challenging one. The Longhorns, who joined the SEC in 2024, began the season ranked No. 19, but a season-opening loss quickly dropped them out of the rankings. Texas endured a difficult start to SEC play, losing its first three conference games, all against Top 10 opponents. The teamโs struggles continued throughout the regular season, culminating in seven losses in their final nine games and a disappointing 6-12 record in league play.
Despite the rough stretch, Terryโs team managed to secure a bid to the NCAA Tournament, albeit as an 11-seed. After defeating a lower-seeded team in the First Four, Texasโ tournament run ended abruptly in the second round, with an 86-80 loss to Xavier, following a blown 13-point lead. The Longhorns finished the season with a 19-16 record.
Chris Del Conte, Texas’ athletic director, acknowledged the difficult decision to fire Terry, stating in a statement, โIn looking at everything over the past three seasons… Coach Terry and I have decided it is in the best interest of The University of Texas to move in a different direction.โ Del Conte also referenced the teamโs struggles in their first year in the SEC and the future trajectory of the program.
Terry, who is credited for holding the team together amid turmoil during his interim tenure, faced challenges in adapting to the evolving landscape of college basketball. The open transfer portal and the increasing influence of NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals complicated roster building, and while Terry signed standout freshman Tre Johnson, who is expected to be a high NBA draft pick, top recruits were notably absent from the Longhornsโ ranks.
Terryโs exit marks the end of a brief yet eventful chapter in Texas basketball, and the program now faces the task of finding a new head coach to lead the Longhorns into a competitive future in the SEC.