men

One ascended to new heights.

The other elevated itself to old ones.

In the same, memorable season, two teams reminded the nation that the football-crazed University of Texas can indeed play basketball, too.

The Longhorns, men and women, advanced to the NCAA Final Four last April, and now appear on the verge of establishing themselves as elite programs.

And both might wonder why it took so long.

Rick Barnes didn't have to say much on this subject one day after arriving at Texas in 1998, only, in essence, that the University of Texas basketball program needed to be shaken from its slumber. Or as Longhorns senior Brian Boddicker recalls, "He just said, 'Texas is a sleeping giant.' "

That was all Boddicker, a sophomore at Duncanville High School in '98, needed to hear from the new Texas men's coach. Boddicker agreed to join Barnes in Austin, starting a procession of respected high school players, including an incredibly gifted point guard named T.J. Ford.

And wouldn't ...