Texas Men's Basketball Drops Another Close One - And Time's Running Out
For Texas men’s basketball, the effort’s been there. The wins? Not so much.
Wednesday night’s 85-80 loss at Kentucky was another gut-punch in a season that’s starting to slip away. The Longhorns came in with a little momentum after back-to-back wins over ranked SEC opponents in Vanderbilt and Alabama. But that spark fizzled in Lexington, and now Texas finds itself at 11-8 overall, 2-4 in conference play, and running out of room for error.
The frustrating part? This game was there for the taking.
But once again, the Horns found a new way to let one slip through their fingers - this time, by sending Kentucky to the free-throw line over and over again. Texas committed 23 fouls, and the Wildcats turned those into 35 free-throw attempts.
They cashed in on 30 of them. That’s a tough hill to climb against any opponent, let alone a Kentucky team that knows how to close.
Defensive discipline - or the lack of it - was the story. A few smarter decisions, a couple of clean stops in crunch time, and this could’ve been a different outcome. Instead, Texas walked away with another “almost.”
Head coach Sean Miller has already questioned his team’s effort at times this season. But one guy he’s never had to worry about?
Chendall Weaver. The high-energy guard was everywhere on Wednesday, pouring in a season-high 14 points and bringing his usual spark.
Unfortunately, the starting backcourt couldn’t match that production. Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope combined for just 20 points - not nearly enough when you're trying to keep pace on the road in the SEC.
And then there’s Dailyn Swain. The sophomore was electric, dropping 29 points in a performance that deserved a better outcome. But when the supporting cast doesn’t show up and the team racks up fouls like frequent flyer miles, even a breakout night like Swain’s can go to waste.
With 12 games left in the regular season, the math is starting to get real. A 9-9 finish in SEC play might be enough to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament, but right now, Texas is showing just enough to lose close games - and that’s a dangerous trend.
Next up? A high-octane matchup with No.
21 Georgia at Moody Center on Saturday. The Bulldogs bring the nation’s most explosive offense to Austin, averaging 96 points per game and playing at the second-fastest tempo in the country.
Translation: buckle up. This one’s going to be a track meet, and the Horns need to find a way to keep pace.
They need this win in the worst way.
Aaliyah Crump’s Return Gives Texas Women’s Basketball Another Weapon
On the women’s side, there’s a different kind of story unfolding - one of patience, resilience, and a freshman ready to make an impact.
Aaliyah Crump could’ve taken the redshirt route after missing 15 games with a foot injury. No one would’ve blamed her.
But instead, she chose to come back. And now, Texas has another weapon in its arsenal as it eyes a deep tournament run.
Crump played in the first five games of the season before the injury sidelined her. But she didn’t rush the recovery.
She waited until she was fully ready - and it showed. In her return, she dropped 12 points in an 80-35 blowout win over Texas A&M, flashing the kind of potential that made her one of the most talked-about freshmen in the country.
“Obviously, I took my time with my recovery process,” Crump said. “I wanted to make sure I was my best self for this team when I got back.”
That decision could pay off in a big way. This is the final ride for All-Americans Madison Booker and Rori Harmon, along with post presence Kyla Oldacre - the core of last year’s Final Four squad. Crump now gets the rare opportunity to learn from three of the program’s all-time greats while contributing to a team with championship aspirations.
With Crump and sophomore Jordan Lee rounding out a smaller, quicker lineup, Texas becomes an even more intriguing team. If Crump can consistently hit from beyond the arc, she’ll open up the floor and give Harmon and Booker more room to operate.
Long term, this is a win-win. Crump gets meaningful minutes now, and when the roster turns over next season, she’ll be ready to take on a much bigger role. For now, she’s healthy, confident, and learning from the best - and that’s a scary combination for the rest of the country.
Sam Ehlinger One Step Away from Super Bowl History
Sam Ehlinger’s NFL journey has had its twists, but he’s now one win away from a shot at Super Bowl history.
The former Texas quarterback has been elevated to the Denver Broncos’ active roster and now sits as the backup heading into the AFC Championship Game against New England. With starter Bo Nix sidelined by a season-ending ankle injury suffered in the playoff win over Buffalo, Ehlinger moves up behind Jarrett Stidham.
If the Broncos win Sunday, Ehlinger would become the first Texas quarterback to take a snap under center in a Super Bowl - should he get the call in the big game.
Now, technically, Jim Hudson played some quarterback at Texas in the early 1960s, and he was a key figure in the New York Jets’ famous upset of the Colts in Super Bowl III. But Hudson was playing defensive back by then, and his interception of Earl Morrall came on the other side of the ball.
As for Ehlinger, his college career was solid - 27 wins, including a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia in the 2019 season. In the NFL, he saw limited action with the Colts, appearing in eight games from 2021 to 2023 and making three starts. He completed 64 of 101 passes for 573 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
I was there for his first start - a tight 17-16 loss to Washington in 2022 - and even then, you could see the grit that defined his time in Austin.
Garrett Gilbert, another former Longhorn, does have a Super Bowl ring - but that came as a member of the Patriots’ practice squad. He didn’t suit up for the game.
If Denver makes it to the big stage, the Broncos will feature two quarterbacks with Texas high school roots: Stidham from Stephenville, and Ehlinger from Westlake - the same school that produced Super Bowl winners Drew Brees and Nick Foles.
It’s a long shot, but if Ehlinger gets his moment, it would be a milestone for both him and the Longhorns. One more win to go.