March Madness First Four Preview: Texas Longhorns vs. Xavier Musketeers
March Madness is in full swing, and the stakes couldn’t be higher as the Texas Longhorns and Xavier Musketeers clash in a high-stakes NCAA Tournament First Four battle on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. With a coveted spot in the Round of 64 on the line, both teams are poised to leave everything on the court at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Get ready for a thriller as two determined programs battle for survival in the Big Dance!
How to Watch Texas vs. Xavier Live on TV and Streaming in the US
Don’t miss a second of this electrifying matchup! Here’s everything you need to know to watch live:
- Date & Time: Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 9:10 p.m. ET
- Venue: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
- TV Broadcast: TruTV – Check local listings for channel details
- Streaming Options: Max (Watch live with the B/R Sports Add-On), NCAA March Madness Live (Stream online or via the app with cable login)
- Broadcast Team: Lisa Byington, Steve Smith, and Lauren Shehadi provide play-by-play and analysis
From the opening tip to the final buzzer, Livesportsontv.com has all the details to ensure you don’t miss a moment of this March Madness kickoff. Get your popcorn ready—this one’s going to be wild!
A Season of Grit and Determination
The Texas Longhorns enter the First Four with a 19-15 overall record after an up-and-down season in the ultra-competitive SEC. Despite a challenging 8-13 conference slate, they have delivered statement wins over powerhouses like Kentucky and Texas A&M, proving they can go toe-to-toe with the best. Texas thrives on resilience and knows how to respond in big moments—qualities that could be crucial in this do-or-die matchup.
Xavier, on the other hand, arrives in Dayton with a 21-11 record and plenty of momentum. The Musketeers caught fire late in the season, winning seven straight games before stumbling in the Big East Tournament. With a solid 13-8 mark in conference play, they have demonstrated their ability to handle adversity and close out tight contests. These teams have crossed paths twice before—once in the NCAA Tournament and once in the NIT—with Texas holding a 2-0 advantage. But as March has proven time and time again, history often takes a backseat to the madness of the moment.
Key Players to Watch
Every March Madness showdown has its stars, and this game is no exception. Texas boasts one of the most electrifying freshmen in the nation, Tre Johnson. A dynamic wing player averaging nearly 20 points per game, Johnson’s scoring ability and NBA-ready skillset make him a matchup nightmare. His ability to create shots and finish at the rim could be a game-changer for the Longhorns.
Xavier counters with experience and physicality in Zach Freemantle, a 6-foot-9 graduate forward who’s a double-double machine. Averaging 17.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest, Freemantle’s presence in the paint will test Texas’s interior defense. Meanwhile, Ryan Conwell adds a dangerous perimeter threat, giving the Musketeers another weapon to stretch the floor. Expect these stars to play a defining role in what promises to be a fast-paced, high-intensity battle.
The Stakes: A Ticket to Milwaukee
Beyond the thrill of advancing, the winner of this First Four matchup earns the right to take on No. 6 seed Illinois in Milwaukee on Friday. The reward is massive, but the road ahead remains daunting. Both Texas and Xavier, each seeded 11th, understand that this is more than just a survival game—it’s an opportunity to prove they belong on the grandest stage in college basketball.
Adding to the intrigue, Xavier will enjoy a quasi-home-court advantage, with Dayton located just an hour from their Cincinnati campus. A strong Musketeers fan presence could tilt the energy in their favor. However, Texas has been battle-tested all season and won’t be fazed by the moment. Expect a game filled with intensity, grit, and the kind of drama only March Madness can deliver.