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Gameday Preview: It's time to talk about what Texas must do to make the NCAA Tournament

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook1 hour agojosephcook89

The Texas Longhorns currently sit at 7-4 in Sean Miller‘s first season, but they are only 6-4 against Division I teams. If Miller wants to make the NCAA Tournament, his program must make it to 8-4 in Division I games before Southeastern Conference play begins on January 3. Luckily for Texas, that should be easily achievable as the Longhorns’ next two games are against low-major programs in Le Moyne and Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Moody Center battle with Le Moyne is tonight at 7 p.m. on SEC Network+.

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Texas fell to four of the five high-major teams on its 2025-26 non-conference schedule in Duke, Arizona State, Virginia, and UConn. Texas earned a quality neutral site win over NC State in Maui, but the rest of its pre-SEC slate has been weak. The highest ranked team in NET that Texas has beaten aside from No. 26 NC State is No. 268 Southern.

That’s all to say, it’s time to start thinking about what type of conference record the Longhorns may need to make March Madness this season.

The SEC is not looking as strong as it was last year. Not only was 2025 national champion Florida from the SEC, but so too were two Final Four teams. Also, eight of the top 25 and 14 of the top 50 in KenPom were from where it just means more. Texas made the field of 68 last year with a 19-15 record and a 6-12 mark in SEC play.

While the win over Division II Chaminade counts toward the Longhorns’ overall record, it does not count toward the NET rankings. It also is not a game that the selection committee evaluates. That means, as mentioned, Texas is 6-4 so far in games the selection committee will look at.

Before assessing hypotheticals, might as well note that 6-12 definitely won’t cut without a deep SEC Tournament run. A 6-12 SEC record would have Texas heading to Nashville at 14-16 in Division I games, assuming it wins the last two tune-ups before conference play.

It’s not a rule on the books, but it’s basically a de facto standard that an under .500 team isn’t getting an at-large bid. Sitting right at .500 makes for tough sledding too, and the only way Texas gets to .500 against Division I opponents is with a 7-11 SEC record. No easy task.

What would an 8-10 SEC run put Texas at? 16-14 overall against Division I opponents.

So would a 9-9 record in the league, and a 17-13 record in Division I games, be enough? Probably.

What about 10-8? It took being above .500 in SEC play last year to finish in the top half of the league. A top half of the SEC finish would be a welcome result for the Horns this season.

Just for one more hypothetical, an 11-7 SEC run would put Texas at 19-11 in Division I games ahead of the SEC Tournament.

The SEC Tournament can also help. As Texas learned last year and in other seasons, winning late-season neutral site Quadrant 1 games can be the last bit of data a resume needs to make the field.

Even before the calendar flips to 2026, it’s clear that the Longhorns will enter Southeastern Conference play with a thin margin for error with regards to making the NCAA Tournament.

Game Notes via UT

Game 12: TEXAS (7-4, 0-0 SEC) vs. Le Moyne (5-5, 0-0 Northeast)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 – 7 p.m. Central
Moody Center (10,763) – Austin, Texas

GameDay Quick Facts

  • TELEVISION: The game will be streamed nationally by SEC Network+ with David Saltzman (play-by-play) and Jim Haller (analyst) on the call.
  • RADIO: The Longhorn Radio Network broadcasts every UT game on the statewide network. Craig Way (pxp) and Eddie Oran (analyst) will call the action. Check TexasLonghorns.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game.
  • SERIES: First meeting

Notables

  • BOUNCING BACK AFTER A LOSS: After each of its previous three losses this season, the Longhorns have bounced back quickly with dominant victories. Texas is 3-0 this year after a defeat with a +34.7 ppg scoring margin in those three contests.
  • HOME SUCCESS IN THE MOOD: Texas is 5-1 this season in home games in Moody Center and sports an impressive +21.5 scoring margin in those six contests. The Longhorns are 30-2 all-time in non-conference games in Moody Center.
  • POPE HEATIN’ UP: Over the last six contests, senior G Jordan Pope has averaged a team-best 16.0 ppg while converting 53.2-percent (33-62) from the floor, including a 43.6-percent (17-39) mark from three-point range, and hit 13-of-14 (.929) free throws.
  • SOMETHING TO BUILD ON: In the second half at No. 5/5 UConn, the Horns limited the Huskies to 28 points (12-28 FG, 2-9 threes) and forced nine turnovers.

Previous starting five and key depth for Le Moyne

C Shilo Jackson: 14.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.0 apg
G Deng Garang: 12.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.9 apg
G Trent Mosquera: 15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.5 apg
G Jakob Blakley: 3.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.5 apg
G Eli Greenburg: 2.7 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 1.2 apg
—
G Tennessee Rainwater: 7.5 pg, 2.7 rpg, 1.5 apg
G Jakai Sanders: 11.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.2 apg

2025-26 Texas roster

PlayerNumberGradePPGRPGAPGPrevious School
Jordan Pope0Sr.12.72.02.9Oregon State
Cole Bott1Gr.0.60.20.2
Chendall Weaver2Sr.7.15.21.5UT-Arlington
Dailyn Swain3Jr.15.16.53.3Xavier
Declan Duru Jr.4Fr.1.61.30.0
Camden Heide5Jr.6.52.60.8Purdue
Simeon Wilcher7Jr.9.42.31.7St. John’s
Matas Vokietaitis8So.15.36.50.4FAU
John Clark9Fr.N/AN/AN/A
Nic Codie10So.5.53.50.5
Tramon Mark12Gr.10.43.02.4Arkansas
Lewis Obiorah14Fr.N/AN/AN/A
Lassina Traore23Gr.4.67.00.5Xavier
Anthon McDermott33R-Fr.1.20.60.4
Brandon Taylor44Gr.1.00.30.0East Texas A&M

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