Men’s Basketball picked second in SEC media preseason poll

[Gerry Hamilton]

Men’s Basketball picked second in SEC media preseason poll

Vokietaitis named to Preseason All-SEC Second Team and Punch tabbed All-SEC Third Team by league media members.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of Texas Men’s Basketball team was picked to finish second in the Southeastern Conference by a panel of both SEC and national media members, the league office announced Monday. Junior center Matas Vokietaitis was tabbed to the five-person Preseason All-SEC Second Team, and junior forward David Punch was named to the five-person Preseason All-SEC Third Team.

Florida is the preseason SEC favorite in the media poll and is followed by Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama in the top five. Thomas Haugh of Florida was tabbed the Preseason SEC Player of the Year.

Vokietaitis returns for his second season at Texas and his third year in college basketball. A 2026 NABC All-Gulf District Second Team selection, he played and started all 36 games last year and led the team in blocks (33) and ranked second in scoring (15.6 ppg) and rebounding (7.1 rpg). Vokietaitis reached double figures in scoring in 31 of the 36 games, including eight 20-point performances, while hitting double digits in rebounds six times and posting six double-doubles. In his four NCAA Tournament contests last season, he averaged 16.0 points and a team-best 8.8 rebounds per game.

Punch elected to transfer from TCU following the 2025-26 season. He has played in 66 career games (61 starts) and registered two-year career totals of 687 points, 370 rebounds and 94 blocks in 1,661 minutes. Punch earned honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference and NABC All-Gulf District First Team honors last year. He played in 34 of a possible 35 games (34 starts) and led the team in scoring (14.1 ppg), rebounding (6.8 rpg) and blocks (66), ranked second in steals (45) and third in assists (68) and minutes (29.7 mpg) while helping the Horned Frogs post a 23-12 mark (11-7 Big 12) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.

Texas opens the 2025-26 season with a home contest against Chicago State on Monday, Nov. 2. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. Central in Moody Center, and the contest will be televised by SEC Network.

Preseason Predicted Order of Finish: Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas A&M, Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina

Preseason Player of the Year: 
Thomas Haugh (Florida)

Preseason All-SEC First Team: 
Rueben Chinyelu (Florida), Juke Harris (Tennessee), Thomas Haugh (Florida), Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State), Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt)

Preseason All-SEC Second Team: 
Amari Allen (Alabama), Alex Condon (Florida), Milan Momcilovic (Kentucky), Jordan Smith Jr. (Arkansas), Matas Vokietaitis (TEXAS)

Preseason All-SEC Third Team:
 PJ Haggerty (Texas A&M), Malachi Moreno (Kentucky), Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn), David Punch (TEXAS), Billy Richmond III (Arkansas)

[Gerry Hamilton]

Texas Longhorns 2026-27 Roster
Seniors:
None

Juniors:
Elyjah Freeman, G/F, 6-8 (9.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals at Auburn) 
Matas Vokietaitis, C, 7-0 (15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 0.9 blocks)
David Punch, PF, 6-7 (14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals & 1.9 blocks at TCU)
Mikey Lewis, CG, 6-3 (13.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists at St. Mary’s)
Anthon McDermott, SG, 6-5

Sophomores:
Isaiah Johnson, lead guard/PG, 6-1 (16.9 ppg, 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists at Colorado) 
Amari Evans, G/W, 6-5 (4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals at Tennessee) 

Freshmen:
Marcus Spears Jr., PF, 6-9.5
Austin Goosby, CG, 6-5.5
Bo Ogden, W/G, 6-5.5
John Clark, PF, 6-9 (RS-Fr.) 
Lewis Obiorah, C, 7-0 (RS-Fr.)
Joe Sterling, SG, 6-4
Coleman Elkins, C, 6-10
Mantas Laurencikas, PG, 6-3

Texas' 2026-27 Schedule 
Nov. 2 - Chicago State at Texas, 8pm CT. SEC Network 
Nov. 5 - Gardner-Webb at Texas, 7pm CT  SEC Network
Nov. 9 - Grambling State at Texas, 6pm CT SEC Network
Nov. 15 -  Baylor vs Texas (San Antonio), 2pm CT ESPN
Nov. 19 - Southern Utah at Texas, 7pm CT SEC Network
Nov. 22 - Southern Indiana at Texas, 7pm CT ESPN Network
Nov. 26 - Georgetown vs. Texas (San Diego), 1:30pm CT FS1
Nov. 27 - UCLA/St. Mary’s vs. Texas, 4pm CT FOX
Dec. 1 - Texas at Louisville, 8pm CT ESPN2
Dec. 8 - Jackson State at Texas, 7pm CT SEC Network
Dec. 12 - Texas vs. Miami (Fla) (Houston) 4:30pm CT ESPN
Dec. 16 - Memphis at Texas, 8pm CT ESPN2
Dec. 21 - Prairie View A&M at Texas, 7pm CT SEC Network
Dec. 29 - East Texas A&M at Texas, 7pm CT SEC Network 
Jan. 2 - Florida at Texas, 5pm CT ESPN2
Jan. 5 - Texas at Georgia, 8pm CT ESPN
Jan. 9 - Texas at Ole Miss, 11am CT ESPNU
Jan. 12 - Auburn at Texas, 8pm CT ESPN/2
Jan. 16 - Oklahoma at Texas, 11am CT ESPN/2
Jan. 19- Texas at LSU, 8pm CT SEC Network
Jan. 23- Arkansas at Texas, 5pm CT ESPN/2
Jan. 27 - Texas at South Carolina, 7pm CT SEC Network
Jan. 30 - Kentucky at Texas, 11am CT ESPN/2
Feb. 6 - Texas at Florida, 11am CT  ESPN
Feb. 9 - Alabama at Texas, 6pm CT ESPN
Feb. 13 - Texas at Vanderbilt, 1pm CT ESPN/2
Feb. 17 - Texas A&M at Texas, 8pm CT ESPN2/U 
Feb. 20 - Texas at Oklahoma, 7:30pm CT ESPN
Feb. 24 - Texas at Mississippi State, 6pm CT ESPN2/U
Feb. 27 - Tennessee at Texas, 5:30pm CT ESPN/2
March 2 - Missouri at Texas, 6pm CT ESPN/2
March 6 - Texas at Texas A&M, 7pm CT SEC Network 

[Gerry Hamilton]

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

 

[Gerry Hamilton]