Texas basketball routs Northwestern State in final nonconference game. Up next? Rugged SEC

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Texas basketball (11-2) completed its nonconference schedule Sunday with a comfortable 77-53 win over Northwestern State at Moody Center.

But with the start of SEC play Saturday at Texas A&M, the Longhorns’ path is about to get much rockier.

Playing with its complete rotation for the first time this season, Texas made short work of the visiting Demons (5-7), a middling program from the Southland Conference. Freshman guard Tre Johnson, the Longhorns’ leading scorer, tallied 18 points after missing the past two games with a right hip injury. Senior forward Jayson Kent returned to the court after missing the past eight games because of a right wrist injury and scored nine with two rebounds.

“I’m excited about getting everybody back,” Texas coach Rodney Terry said. “We’re two-deep at every position, and we really don’t have a drop-off when we bring a guy in. We’re rounding into form a little bit, but it’s still going to take some time.”

Texas doesn’t have any more time to get ready for the SEC, which is the nation’s best conference by any analytical measurement. Nine SEC teams are ranked in the latest USA Today coaches poll, and Texas will face five of those teams – No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 2 Auburn, No. 1 Tennessee, No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 5 Florida – in its first five conference games.

More: Jordan Pope sets Moody scoring record as Texas basketball routs New Orleans

Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) grabs a rebound during the first half Dec. 29, 2024 against the Northwestern State Demons at Moody Center.

In nonconference play, Texas lost its only game against a ranked team, 76-65 to No. 11 Connecticut.

“Like I just said to the guys, you take it day-to-day,” Terry said. “You live where your feet are; you control what you can control. We’re playing the best league in the country. We embrace that. There’s not one game that’s an easy game. So, every night, you’ve got to come to play, you’ve got to bring your A game, and you’ve got to be an extremely…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/texas-basketball-routs-northwestern-state-200247128.html

Author : Austin American-Statesman

Publish date : 2024-12-29 20:02:00

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