The old “college try” is fine, but somewhere along the line, wins have to happen.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Else Texas men’s basketball <\/a>will be dateless when other teams will be enjoying the Big Dance.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller watches the game during the first half of Lone Star Showdown, Jan. 17, 2026 at the Moody Center in Austin. Texas A&M won the game 74-70.<\/p>\n Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Wednesday\u2019s 85-80 loss at Kentucky<\/a> whiffed on what was left of any momentum the Horns had built with wins over ranked SEC teams Vanderbilt and Alabama.<\/p>\n MORE CED:Portal, NIL were needed, but college football has lost its way<\/a><\/p>\n A second straight loss dropped Texas to a pedestrian 11-8 overall and 2-4 in conference. Worse yet, they’re finding new and inventive ways to take themselves out of games at money time. This time it was fouls. The Horns displayed some horrible defensive decision-making when a couple of stops could have changed this outcome. They committed 23 fouls that led to 35 Kentucky free throws. The Wildcats made 30 of them.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas head coach Sean Miller has questioned Texas’ effort more than once this season, but was never talking about Chendall Weaver, one of the most high-energy players in the country. He scored a season-high 14 points Wednesday, but starting guards Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope combined for just 20, which isn\u2019t enough for Texas to get wins.\u00a0<\/p>\n Texas also wasted an electric 29 points from Dailyn Swain.<\/p>\n Sign up for Ced\u2019s Corner<\/p>\n Sign up for Cedric Golden\u2019s newsletter<\/a> for hot takes and expert analysis each Tuesday on TYouTube API Terms of Serviceexas Longhorns football and beyond. \u00a0It’s called Ced\u2019s Corner, from the mind of the American-Statesman\u2019s resident sports columnist, the 2025 NSMA Texas Sportswriter of the Year.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Miller\u2019s debut season in Austin could turn disastrous if the Horns don\u2019t find answers from somewhere. With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the general belief is a 9-9 finish in the SEC would likely be enough to qualify for the tournament, but the Horns have only shown themselves to be competitive enough to lose close games.\u00a0<\/p>\n If the weather holds up, they will get No. 21 Georgia at Moody Center on Saturday and it won\u2019t be easy. The Dawgs come in as the nation\u2019s most explosive offense, averaging 96 points per game, and are second in tempo.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n We\u2019ll see if the Horns can keep up.\u00a0They need this one.<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns guard Aaliyah Crump (23) loses the ball during the Lone Star Showdown against Texas A&M at the Moody Center on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026 in Austin.<\/p>\n Aaron E. Martinez\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Why Texas\u00a0freshman Aaliyah\u00a0Crump didn’t redshirt\u00a0<\/p>\n It would have been easy for Texas freshman guard Aaliyah Crump to call it a season when she missed 15 games with a foot injury after playing the first five. But instead of taking a redshirt year, Crump is back <\/a>on the court.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Crump is a star in the making and she could have taken the safe route, yet she sees this as an opportunity to be a part of a team that has a legitimate chance to win it all.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the last season the Horns will have \u00a0All-Americans Madison Booker and Rori Harmon and post Kyla Oldacre \u2014 three linchpins on the 2025 Final Four team. With a healthy Crump and sophomore Jordan Lee rounding out a smaller lineup, the Horns will be an interesting watch, especially if\u00a0Crump can knock down some 3-pointers.<\/p>\n To her credit, Crump did not rush back.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, I took my time with my recovery process,\u201d she said after scoring 12 points in the 80-35 \u00a0blowout <\/a>of Texas A&M. \u201cI wanted to make sure I was my best self for this team when I got back. So I really took my time with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n MORE TEXAS: The 10 best Longhorns playing in the NFL\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Crump has a massive upside. The decision to not redshirt will bear fruit because she’ll get to play with two of the program\u2019s all-time greats and learn from their examples. Most importantly, she\u2019s pain-free now and will have a chance to gradually grow into her role. She will have to shoulder a much larger load in 2026 on a roster that will be decidedly different<\/a>, but she’ll enjoy this apprenticeship which promises to end deep into the NCAAs if things fall right.<\/p>\n Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) smiles as he runs into the end zone for a score against Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 6, 2018.<\/p>\n [RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL\/AMERICAN-STATESMAN]<\/p>\n Texas ex Ehlinger could make Super Bowl\u00a0history (if he gets there)<\/p>\n Former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger has a chance to be the first listed quarterback who played at Texas to take a snap under center at the Super Bowl.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Denver Broncos elevated Ehlinger from the practice squad to the active roster Jan. 5 after a win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Ehlinger settled in to the third-string role, but after starter Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury late in the divisional playoff win over Buffalo last weekend, he’s been elevated to backup behind Jarrett Stidham, who will start in Sunday\u2019s AFC title game against the New England Patriots.<\/p>\n The late Jim Hudson played some quarterback at Texas in the early 1960s and was one of several heroes in the New York Jets\u2019 upset of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. But he was playing as a defensive back when he came down with an interception of Colts QB Earl Morrall, who was later replaced by Johnny Unitas.<\/p>\n MORE HORNS:Texas athletics lost millions in 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n