As we roll into the final stretch of January, the Texas Longhorns find themselves in a precarious position - not quite in, not quite out. Their first season navigating the rugged terrain of the SEC has been a mixed bag: flashes of promise, moments of frustration, and now, a spot right on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
With a record hovering just above .500 in conference play, Texas is still searching for consistency. The transition to a new league is never easy, and when you throw in a retooled roster and a first-year head coach in Sean Miller, the growing pains were almost inevitable. Still, there have been bright spots - and they’ve come against some of the best.
Texas owns a 4-3 record against AP Top 25 teams, a stat that’s quietly keeping their tournament hopes alive. Wins over NC State, Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Georgia have added some serious weight to their résumé.
Those victories show that when this team is locked in, they can hang with just about anyone. But the issue?
They haven’t always been locked in.
Late-game execution has been a recurring problem. Whether it’s turnovers in crunch time or defensive lapses in the final minutes, the Longhorns have let a few winnable games slip through their fingers. That’s the kind of thing that can haunt a team come Selection Sunday.
And now, the bracketologists are starting to take notice. In Joe Lunardi’s latest NCAA Tournament projection, Texas is listed among the “First Four,” alongside USC, New Mexico, and Virginia Tech.
That means, as of now, they’re in - but just barely. Seton Hall, Indiana, Santa Clara, and TCU are the first four out, breathing down Texas’ neck.
It’s a reminder of how razor-thin the margin is for teams living on the bubble. Every possession matters, every game is a statement - and the next one looms large.
Tonight, the Longhorns hit the road to face Auburn at 6 p.m. Central.
It’s the kind of game that can swing momentum in a big way. A win in a hostile environment would be another feather in their cap, another data point for the selection committee to chew on.
A loss, though, would tighten the screws even more heading into February.
With a month left before the madness begins, Texas still has time to solidify its place in the field. But the clock is ticking, and the room for error is shrinking fast.