Pope's Grit: Texas Longhorns' March Madness Journey

0:00On March 27, the Texas Longhorn's March Man is journey ended and a tight sweet 16 loss to Purdue on Thursday night. The Boilermakers grabbed the 79-77 lead with just 0.7 seconds on the clock after Texas had fought back to tie it. Despite the defeat, Guard Jordan Pope stepped up big time, playing through a broken foot he suffered earlier in the tournament. Pope broke his foot five minutes into the Longhorn's win over Gonzaga in the previous round. He got constant treatment leading up to the Purdue game, but suited up anyway. In 33 minutes against the Boilermakers, the California senior dropped 12 points, grabbed two rebounds, and hit four of nine from. Three point range, finishing third on the team and scoring. Throughout the tournament, Pope proved to be one of coach Sean Miller's most reliable players. Over three games, he tallyed 40 points and drained 10 threes, bouncing back strong after a shaky end to the regular season. His grit helped keep Texas competitive right to the buzzer.

1:01Miller could hardly believe Pope's effort, calling it extraordinary under the circumstances. He noted that not many players would choose to compete on this stage with such an injury, but Pope gave everything to chase a win and a deeper run. Pope's tournament showed his heart, leaving a lasting mark on his final games and a long Horns jersey, even if the national title dream slipped away.