Texas Guard Tramon Mark Hits Late Shots to Lift Longhorns Over NC State

Texas advances to the NCAA Tournament field after narrow First Four win

Mar. 18, 2026 at 6:28am

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In a close game against NC State in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament, Texas guard Tramon Mark hit two clutch shots in the final minute to lift the Longhorns to a 68-66 victory and advance to the 68-team field. Texas coach Sean Miller praised Mark's heroics, saying the team is in the tournament "in large part because Tramon Mark made two incredible shots."

Why it matters

Texas was in danger of suffering a collapse and being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, but Mark's late-game heroics saved the day for the Longhorns. His performance highlighted the importance of having a go-to player who can make big plays when the pressure is on.

The details

With the game tied 66-66 and under 20 seconds remaining, Mark hit a jumper to give Texas a 4-point lead. After NC State tied it, Mark then hit another jumper with just 1.1 seconds left to lift Texas to the narrow victory. Mark finished with a team-high 17 points, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

  • With less than 20 seconds remaining, Mark hit a jumper to give Texas a 66-62 lead.
  • With just 1.1 seconds left, Mark hit the game-winning jumper to lift Texas to a 68-66 victory.

The players

Tramon Mark

A senior guard for the Texas Longhorns who made two clutch shots in the final minute to lift his team to victory over NC State in the NCAA Tournament First Four.

Sean Miller

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns, who praised Mark's heroics in the narrow win, saying the team advanced "in large part because Tramon Mark made two incredible shots."

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What they’re saying

“As often is the case in this tournament, as I see it, players make plays. We're here in large part because Tramon Mark made two incredible shots. If he didn't make either of those, one of them, I don't think we win.”

— Sean Miller, Head Coach, Texas Longhorns (Inside Texas)

What’s next

Texas, the No. 11 seed, will face No. 6 BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.

The takeaway

Tramon Mark's late-game heroics demonstrated the value of having a clutch player who can make big shots when the pressure is highest. His performance saved Texas from an early tournament exit and kept their March Madness hopes alive.