Sean Miller says Texas not Cinderella despite Sweet 16 run - ESPN

PORTLAND, Ore. — Don't tell coach Sean Miller that 11th-seeded Texas is a Cinderella team, even if the program's 74-68 upset victory over third-seeded Gonzaga suggests otherwise.

Moments after the Longhorns advanced to the Sweet 16 on Saturday by earning their 11th NCAA tournament victory as a double-digit seed, most of any program since seeding began in 1979, Miller made it known that he doesn't view his team as the underdogs of the tournament.

«I don't think we ever want to sign up to be the Cinderella story, because we are the University of Texas, and what we represent in the SEC,» Miller said confidently.

Miller had every right to flex on the podium. Texas' win over the Bulldogs came after it had defeated sixth-seeded BYU in the first round despite a 35-point performance from freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa.

The former Arizona and Xavier coach has improved to 9-1 (including vacated games) in the Round of 32 and has won his last nine games. Miller's record in the Round of 32 is the best any coach has had since the tournament expanded to 32 teams in 1975 (min. 10 games), ahead of Mike Krzyzewski (26-6) and Bob Knight (14-4).

Miller is a frequent visitor to the Sweet Sixteen, but he is the first Longhorn coach to do so in his first season.

Miller credited the Longhorns' rigid regular-season conference schedule, which featured victories over Alabama, Missouri, Georgia and Texas A&M, as an indicator that they are equipped to make a run.

«There's no easy game in the SEC. The league itself prepares you for the postseason,» said Miller. "...Sometimes the lessons you learned along the way strengthen you. We're a much better team right now than we would have been a month ago."

Texas became the sixth team to start in the First Four