After falling behind by 17 points in the first half, Texas men’s basketball headed into the locker room with fans eagerly anticipating another signature comeback led by head coach Rodney Terry, hoping to propel the team past the Georgia Bulldogs in their Saturday matchup at the Moody Center.Texas managed several breakaway plays in the second half and often looked faster than the Bulldogs, but the comeback never materialized. There was no dramatic rally or tense, heart-pounding commercial breaks for fans watching at home. With four minutes remaining, Texas trailed Georgia 57–74, prompting many Longhorn fans to head for the exits early to avoid the post-game traffic.Having never held the lead at any point in the game, the Longhorns appeared to struggle with communication, resulting in missed opportunities and careless passes on the offensive end.“We didn’t start the way we wanted, especially on offense,” Terry said. “I think that slow start ended up affecting our defensive intensity early in the game.”
Texas wrapped up the first half shooting 10-for-25 from the field and 4-for-11 from beyond the arc. Throughout the game, the Longhorns lagged behind Georgia in nearly every key stat — points, free throws made, rebounds, assists, and turnovers.
“In terms of energy, we just have to bring more,” said sophomore forward Devon Pryor. “We can’t keep having these slow first halves and then try to flip the switch after halftime. We need to come out strong from the start every game.”
Ultimately, the Longhorns couldn’t find their rhythm, falling 83–67 to the unranked Bulldogs. Texas now holds a 5–11 record in SEC play, sliding from No. 12 to No. 13 in the conference standings and sitting at 16–13 overall.
Freshman guard Tre Johnson, the SEC’s leading scorer, was held in check by Georgia’s defense for most of the night. After an explosive 39-point game against Arkansas on Feb. 26, Johnson only attempted seven shots and didn’t take a single official shot in the second half.
“(Georgia) doubled Tre the entire game,” Terry said. “They were jumping passing lanes and making it hard to run our offense, especially when we were trying to get him the ball.”
Texas’ season has been a rollercoaster, marked by unexpected highs and frustrating lows. The team pulled off a surprise win over No. 15 Kentucky, only to follow it up with a stunning loss to SEC cellar-dweller South Carolina. Saturday’s game followed a similar script.
The Longhorns trailed by more than 20 points for most of the second half and never came within 10 points of the Bulldogs. Graduate forward Jayson Kent and junior guard Jordan Pope put up strong efforts, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Now, Texas shifts its focus to its second-to-last regular season matchup against Mississippi State on March 4. Despite the disappointing result, Terry remains excited about the month ahead.
“When you get to March, for college basketball players, it doesn’t get any better than this time of year,” Terry said. “It’s almost like Christmas… March is the most wonderful time of the year.”
