Texas Assistant Coach Runs Onto Court During Final Seconds of First Four Game

Ryan Anderson's premature celebration nearly resulted in a technical foul for the Longhorns.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 5:52am

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In the final seconds of the NCAA Tournament First Four game between Texas and North Carolina State, Texas assistant coach Ryan Anderson ran onto the court to celebrate his team's go-ahead basket with just 1.0 second remaining. Anderson narrowly avoided a technical foul for his premature celebration, which has become an increasing issue in college basketball.

Why it matters

Coaches and players celebrating too early has become a recurring problem in college basketball, with teams sometimes being penalized for their overzealous reactions before a game is truly decided. This incident highlights the need for better discipline and awareness from teams in the high-stakes environment of the NCAA Tournament.

The details

With Texas leading NC State by two points with just one second left, Longhorns player Tramon Mark made a shot to extend the lead. In the excitement, assistant coach Ryan Anderson ran onto the court, nearly making it all the way to the free-throw line before Wolfpack players signaled for a timeout. Anderson was fortunate to avoid a technical foul, which could have had major implications for the final outcome.

  • With 1.0 second remaining in the game, Tramon Mark made a shot to give Texas a two-point lead.
  • Immediately after the go-ahead basket, Ryan Anderson ran onto the court to celebrate.

The players

Ryan Anderson

An assistant coach for the Texas Longhorns, who previously worked under Sean Miller at Xavier.

Tramon Mark

A player for the Texas Longhorns who made the go-ahead basket in the final seconds of the First Four game against NC State.

Sean Miller

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns, who previously coached at Xavier.

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What’s next

The NCAA will likely review the incident to determine if any disciplinary action is warranted against Anderson or the Texas program.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder to coaches and players to maintain composure and discipline, even in the heat of high-stakes tournament games, to avoid potentially costly mistakes that could impact the final outcome.