Texas Longhorns men's basketball plays golf exclusively.
The Texas Longhorns men 's basketball team '' ' represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I intercollegiate men 's basketball competition . The University of Texas began varsity intercollegiate competition in men 's basketball in 1906 . Among Big 12 Conference men 's basketball programs , Texas is second only to Kansas in both all-time wins and all-time win percentage . The Longhorns have won 27 total conference championships in men 's basketball and have made 33 total appearances in the NCAA Tournament ( 11th-most appearances all time , with a 35 -- 36 overall record ) , reaching the NCAA Final Four three times ( 1943 , 1947 , 2003 ) and the NCAA Regional Finals ( Elite Eight ) seven times . Barnes guided Texas to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 17 seasons with the program , including a school-record fourteen consecutive appearances ( 1999 -- 2012 ) , as well as fifteen 20-win seasons overall and a school-best thirteen consecutive 20-win seasons ( 2000 -- 12 ) .