Texas is nearing its first Sweet 16 since its 2008 run, which saw Rick Barnes’ Longhorns reach the Elite Eight following a pair of impressive victories. 

Texas now moves onto the Midwest Regional in Kansas City, where it will face Xavier in the Sweet Sixteen on Friday. If they win, they will play the winner of Houston and Miami in the Elite Eight round on Sunday. Here’s everything you need to know about the opponents Texas could see this weekend:

Xavier Musketeers, No. 3 seed

The Musketeers’ scoring effort is balanced, with all five of their starters averaging double  figures, led by fifth-year guard Souley Boum, who Texas interim head coach Rodney Terry coached in the guard during his sophomore and junior seasons at UTEP. 

Xavier’s three-guard lineup causes problems for defenses, as they all shoot higher than 38% from three, which spaces the floor. This allows its 7-foot graduate forward Jack Nunge space to work inside without being double-teamed. When Pittsburgh tried to double Zach Freemantle and Nunge early in its second-round game against the Musketeers, guard Adam Kunkel caught fire, hitting five 3-pointers in the first half. 

According to KenPom, the Musketeers have a 118.5 adjusted offensive efficiency, which ranks seventh in the nation. However, if there is a weakness for Texas to exploit, it’s Xavier’s defense, which ranks 64th nationwide and is the third lowest of the tournament’s remaining teams, per KenPom.

Houston Cougars, No. 1 seed 

Coming into the tournament, Houston was the second overall seed following a 33-3 regular season with a 17–1 conference record.

Star senior guard Marcus Sasser, who is the Cougars’ go-to man, went down with a groin injury during Houston’s 63-52 win over No. 16-seed Northern Kentucky in the first round, forcing the AAC Player of the Year and First-team All-American out of the second half. However, in Houston’s second round 81-64 win over Auburn, Sasser returned to his normal self, pouring in 22 points on 50% shooting. 

Projected top-10 draft pick forward Jarace Walker is a catalyst for the Cougars on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-8-inch freshman can defend almost every position, create for others and rebound at a high level, which could cause problems for Texas’ forwards. 

If Texas faces Houston in the Elite Eight, each team will be vying for a presumed home court advantage at the Final Four at NRG Stadium in Houston. 

Miami Hurricanes, No. 5 seed 

Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga’s squad surprised No. 4-seed Indiana last week with a convincing 85-69 win over the Hoosiers. However, Larrañaga is no stranger to surprises, having famously led George Mason, a school that hadn’t previously won a game in the NCAA tournament, to an improbable run to the Final Four in 2006 as a No. 11 seed. 

Miami features ACC Player of the Year Isaiah Wong, who is his team’s main playmaker in big moments, leading his team in points, assists and steals. The junior guard led the Hurricanes to a 27–7 overall record with a regular season ACC title and an impressive 15–5 conference record. 

If the Hurricanes are to progress further in the tournament, they will have to improve on their struggling defense, which ranks 108th nationally and the worst of the tournament’s remaining teams, according to KenPom. Miami held its own against Drake and Indiana, but it will soon face its biggest challenge yet in a Houston team that boasts one of the country’s best offenses.