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    Jeff Howe
    What On Texas Football has been steadfast in reporting came to fruition on Sunday. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte officially moved on from Rodney Terry and hired Xavier’s Sean Miller to replace him as the school’s 27th men’s basketball coach.
    The Longhorns are turning the page to a new era inside Moody Center, and I’ve got three thoughts on the 56-year-old Miller taking over on the Forty Acres.
    1. We’ve discussed this on our YouTube channel and the OTF Forum, but I love Miller’s potential to get more juice out of international recruiting than Texas has before.
    Scott Drew made me believe in international recruiting during his early years at Baylor. Due to scholarship restrictions and the stigma attached to the program, Drew and his staff went far and wide to fill out the roster; guard Aaron Bruce (Australia) and center Mamadou Diene (Senegal) were a part of Drew’s first recruiting class, helping the Bears go from the Big 12 basement to the NCAA Tournament in four years.
    Kenny Cherry (Canada), Brady Heslip (Canada), Manu Lecomte (Belgium), Jo Lual-Acuil (Sudan), Yves Missi (Belgium), Jeremy Sochan (England), Flo Thamba (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (Cameroon) are among the international players who’ve made their way to Waco in Drew’s tenure. International recruiting has been a critical part of talent acquisition for a program four years removed from winning a national championship; it should be good enough for one striving to get back to the Final Four for the first time since 2003.
    Deandre Ayton (Bahamas), Josh Green (Australia), Christian Koloko (Cameroon) and Lauri Markkanen (Finland) are among the international NBA draft picks Miller recruited during his 12 seasons at Arizona. Texas needs all the firepower it can muster to compete in the SEC and Miller shouldn’t leave any stones unturned in his quest to build a competitive roster, especially in areas where he’s found success.
    2. When it comes to competing in the SEC, offense is the name of the game.
    Led by Alabama, which leads Division I with 91.1 points per game, the SEC boasts five of the top 11 scoring teams in the country. The word I’ve received in recent years from folks tied into the NBA scouting community is that the league holds the SEC in high regard as the conference best preparing players for the next level because the SEC has dynamic offensive coaches and big-time scorers; Tre Johnson will join Dalton Knecht (2024), Brandon Miller (2023) and Cameron Thomas (2021) as recent SEC scoring leaders to be selected in the first round of the draft.
    Miller is regarded as a top offensive coach, and there are plenty of numbers to back up the claim.
    Miller’s 2022-23 squad at Xavier, which lost to Texas in the Sweet 16, finished 10th nationally in points per game (80.9). The Musketeers also ranked eighth in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 33 in adjusted tempo, according to KenPom.com.
    When Miller’s Arizona teams participated in March Madness, the offense was the catalyst. The Wildcats finished 12th, 13th, 20th, seventh, 20th, 15th, and 15th in adjusted offensive efficiency during their seven NCAA Tournament trips under Miller.
    Miller coached two of the 28 teams in Arizona history to average 80 or more points per game (80.5 in 2017-18 and 80.4 in 2015-16). The Wildcats ranked in the top 60 nationally in points per game during seven of Miller’s 12 seasons in Tucson, three of which saw Arizona finish as a top-25 team in scoring.
    3. Strong guard play has been a hallmark of Miller’s teams, which bodes well for Texas if he can put together top-notch backcourts.
    Since T.J. Ford led the Longhorns to the Final Four 22 years ago, three Texas teams have advanced to the Elite Eight. Whether it was Daniel Gibson (2005-06), D.J. Augustin (2007-08) or the three-headed monster of Marcus Carr, Tyrese Hunter and Sir’Jabari Rice (2022-23), the best Longhorn squads since the high point of the Rick Barnes era have featured elite guards.
    The 2010-11 team won 28 games with a future first-round pick and NBA champion (Cory Joseph) leading a deep backcourt. Isaiah Taylor (2013-14) led Texas to the program’s last NCAA Tournament win under Barnes before bowing out to Michigan in the round of 32.
    With the transfer portal opening Monday, Miller’s first order of business is to figure out what he's got with Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver while looking for reinforcements to account for the impending departures of Johnson and Tramon Mark.
    Jeff Howe
    The Texas women’s basketball team earned a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive NCAA Tournament. The field of 68 was unveiled on Sunday, with the Longhorns’ road to the Final Four in Tampa going through Birmingham as the top seed in Regional 3 (No. 2 TCU, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Ohio State round out the top seeds in the region).
    Texas (31-3, 15-1 SEC) will begin March Madness on Saturday with a first-round game against the winner of a First Four game between High Point and William & Mary. The Longhorns will then face Illinois, the No. 8 seed in the region, or ninth-seeded Creighton, who round out the four teams heading to the Forty Acres for the opening weekend at Moody Center.
    In the program’s sixth NCAA Tournament under coach Vic Schaefer, Texas is one of the favorites to be the last team standing inside Amalie Arena when a national champion is crowned on Sunday, April 6. The Longhorns are joined on the No. 1 line by No. 1 overall seed UCLA (30-2, 16-2 Big Ten), South Carolina (30-3, 15-1 SEC) and USC (28-3, 16-1 Big Ten).
    Texas split its two regular-season meetings with the reigning national champion Gamecocks, ending their first season in the SEC with a share of the conference championship. The Longhorns lost a coin flip with South Carolina to be the top seed in the SEC Tournament, which coach Dawn Staley’s team won with a 64-45 victory over the Longhorns in the conference title game last Sunday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
    The 2024-25 SEC Coach of the Year, Schaefer has guided Texas to the Elite Eight in three of his first four seasons. After coaching Mississippi State to consecutive national runner-up finishes in the NCAA Tournament in 2017 and 2018 over his eight seasons running the show in Starkville, Schaefer is attempting to lead the Longhorns to their first Final Four since 2003 for an opportunity to win the school’s first national championship since 1986.
    Texas is led on the floor by sophomore forward Madison Booker. The SEC Player of the Year, Booker leads the Longhorns in scoring (16.2 points per game) and ranks second on the team in rebounds (6.6 per game), assists (2.8 per game) and steals (1.6 per game).
    A Naismith Trophy (national player of the year) semifinalist and a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award (best small forward in Division I), Booker heads into March Madness shooting 45.6 percent from the field, a team-best 43.9 percent from 3-point range and 82.9 percent from the free-throw line.
    Booker and senior guard Rori Harmon, an SEC All-Defensive Team selection and a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist, help make Texas one of the top defensive teams in the tournament. The Longhorns allow the fewest points per game in the SEC (55.9 per game) and rank among the nation’s leaders in turnover margin (ninth with plus-7.62 per game), rebounding margin (ninth with plus-9.1 per game) blocked shots per game (14th with 5.2 per game) and turnovers forced per game (18th with 21 per game).
    Jeff Howe
    AUSTIN, Texas — If Saturday’s 76-72 loss to Oklahoma was Tre Johnson’s last game at Moody Center, it unfortunately mirrored what’s expected to be the freshman phenom’s lone season on the Forty Acres.
    Johnson did his best to help Texas get a win with the fate of the 2024-25 season hanging in the balance, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out a season-high six assists and recording two steals in a de facto NCAA Tournament elimination game. Nevertheless, the 6-foot-6-inch projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft’s probable home finale saw him endure an 0-for-14 night from the field, including an 0-for-4 effort beyond the arc.
    The loss dealt a likely fatal blow to the Longhorns’ hopes of being a part of March Madness. While Johnson did a lot to put Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC) in a position to end the regular season with what would’ve been a significant victory as far as the postseason outlook is concerned, the Longhorns needed more than seven points (7-for-7 from the free-throw line) from their standout rookie to get over the hump.
    “He's not going to shoot it well every night. We like to think he's going to have a cape on every night and do it every night. He's done it in this league every night against older players consistently,” coach Rodney Terry said. “This is the first game where he hasn't put the ball in the basket, but give him credit. He had six assists, he made great reads and some of the offense went through him to get offense for other guys.”
    Johnson showed up for the postgame press conference alongside Terry and guard Jordan Pope, who scored a game-high 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting with a 4-for-6 showing from beyond the arc and a 3-for-3 night from the foul line. Johnson said he went to the Moody Center media room “because I was told to,” a laugh-inducing one-liner that eased the tension in the room.
    Regardless, the Link (Mo.) Academy product by way of Lake Highlands owned his largely forgettable night.
    “Everybody knows I didn’t make a shot,” Johnson said. “Owning up to it and being able to talk about it prepares me for the next level."
    Johnson’s ability on the offensive end of the floor is why he's expected to contribute early in his NBA career. While he credited the Sooners with trapping and doubling him throughout the night, Johnson’s missed layup on a relatively clean path to the basket with 30 seconds to play summed up a frustrating end to the home schedule.
    “I missed a lot of open shots,” Johnson said. “I missed a layup at the end and I was at the rim by myself. That's mostly on me.”
    His most recent performance notwithstanding, Johnson heads into the postseason with one of the program's best freshman regular seasons under his belt.
    A five-time SEC Freshman of the Week, Johnson ended the regular season as the leading scorer in the conference. His average of 20.2 points per game is the best output by a Longhorn freshman since Kevin Durant’s 2006-07 season (25.8 points per game); it has him on pace to be the first Texas player to average at least 20 points per game since J’Covan Brown during the 2011-12 season (20.1 points per game).
    The 2024 McDonald’s All-American delivered a tremendous effort in Tuesday’s 87-82 overtime win over No. 25 Mississippi State in Starkville. Johnson finished the game with 23 points (8-for-16 from the field and 6-for-9 from beyond the arc), four assists, three rebounds and one steal in a career-high 43 minutes, setting the table for Saturday's showdown.
    Oklahoma coach Porter Moser encouraged his club to take a one-possession-at-a-time approach to defending Johnson, who scored 16 points in a 77-73 win over the Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 15.
    “You can't take plays off with him because he can get you in transition, so it was a possession-by-possession thing,” Moser said. “We tried to run multiple guys at him.
    “It was a group effort.”
    The shooting struggles weren’t limited to Johnson. Texas shot 39 percent (23-for-59), failing to reach 40 percent from the field for the fifth time in 31 games (1-4 record).
    What Johnson is taking away from the second game of his brief career in which he failed to score in double figures should make him more of an offensive threat when he scores to his capability.
    “When I am scoring, some of those same reads are still there, so keeping my head up when I am having one of my better nights,” Johnson said. “Still finding my teammates, getting everybody going.
    “Everybody else played up to their role and did what they were supposed to do,” he added. “I was the only missing factor there, so if I'm playing good and I'm able to get them going, we're going to be a hard team to stop.”
    Making a lengthy run in the SEC Tournament, a journey beginning at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena against Vanderbilt (20-11, 8-10) on Wednesday (2:30 p.m., SEC Network), is the only path Texas has to making the field of 68. To avoid snapping the program's streak of four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, Johnson knows the Longhorns need him to put Saturday's outing behind him.
    The proof will be in the pudding, but Johnson sounded ready to take the court with a vengeance against the Commodores.
    “I've got to look at myself in the mirror, take it on the chin and just get ready for Wednesday,” Johnson said.
    Jeff Howe
    It might not be enough to put Texas in a better position to reach the NCAA Tournament or save men’s basketball coach Rodney Terry’s job. Nevertheless, Tuesday’s 87-82 overtime road win over No. 25 Mississippi State showed the Longhorns aren’t ready to put the 2024-25 season to bed.
    Texas (17-13, 6-11 SEC) picked up a much-needed victory over the Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum, overcoming a second-half surge by Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9) to snap a three-game losing streak.
    The Longhorns ran their lead up to 12 points in the second half, but the Bulldogs chipped away at the deficit and tied the game at 71 with 9.8 seconds remaining in regulation. Forward RJ Melendez stole Jordan Pope’s inbound pass and found guard Riley Kugel for a bucket, knotting the game up for the first time since the final 1:49 of the first half.
    Thanks to a 14-0 run, Texas wiped out an eight-point deficit en route to a 37-32 halftime lead, 37-32. The Longhorns went up by eight when Tramon Mark knocked down a 3-pointer for the game’s first basket of the second half and led for the entire second half until Kugel’s game-tying layup.
    Pope’s jumper from the elbow for the first points of overtime gave Texas a lead it never relinquished. Mark and Tre Johnson combined to score nine of the team’s 16 points in overtime on a night when they led the way on offense. Mark led all scorers on Tuesday with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting (4-for-6 on 3-pointers) with four rebounds and one blocked shot in his return after missing last Saturday's 83-67 home loss to Georgia with a back injury. Johnson recorded 23 points (8-for-16 shooting, 6-for-9 from 3-point range), four assists, three rebounds and one steal.
    It was over when…: Mark rebounded a missed 3-pointer by Josh Hubbard and was fouled with 20.8 seconds left in overtime. Mark’s two free throws extended the lead to three points, 85-82. The Longhorns put the game away on Mississippi State’s ensuing possession when Arthur Kaluma rebounded another missed three by Hubbard and was fouled with 7.8 seconds left. Kaluma followed up his 11th rebound of the game by knocking down two foul shots, the final points of the night for either side.
    Top Offensive Performer: How good were Johnson and Mark on Tuesday? The Longhorn gunners shot a combined 17-for-29 from the field, 10-for-18 from beyond the arc and 3-for-4 from the foul line. The rest of the team went 14-for-35 overall, 1-for-5 on 3-pointers and 11-for-19 on free throws.
    Top Defensive Performer: Kaluma’s 11 rebounds led everyone on the court, with eight coming on the defensive end. Texas held Mississippi State to a 39.7 percent shooting night (27-for-68), including a 6-for-25 mark from 3-point range.
    Reason for Optimism: If Mark and Kaluma (a double-double with 10 points) are reasonably healthy, Johnson has help to make the Longhorns competitive in the postseason. Beyond personnel on the floor, credit the Longhorns for regrouping after a disastrous end to regulation, taking control of the game in overtime.
    Reason for Pessimism: The Bulldogs scored 13 points off 16 Texas turnovers, including the tying points near the end of regulation. Watching a team fail to take care of the basketball is frustrating. Watching the Longhorns commit multiple backcourt violations and struggle to handle Mississippi State’s full-court press late in the second half was excruciating.
    Modest Proposal: Since Texas has one game left on the schedule with the SEC Tournament contested on a neutral floor, the Longhorns shouldn't worry about a lack of calls going their way. That matters because it must force the issue trying to get to the foul line to even out the free-throw differential. The Bulldogs were 16-for-18 from the foul line in the second half while Texas was just 2-for-6, which played a big role in Mississippi State’s comeback.
    Biggest Question Before the Next Game: How will the Longhorns handle a do-or-die situation?
    Texas is squarely on the bubble and most likely on the outside looking in heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale against Oklahoma at Moody Center (7 p.m., SEC Network). The same is true for the Sooners and coach Porter Moser, who's 0-8 against the Longhorns during his time in Norman.
    The sense of urgency should be high, to say the least.
    Oklahoma (17-12, 4-12) has a home game against No. 15 Missouri on Wednesday before heading to the Forty Acres. It doesn't matter if the Sooners’ bubble pops before Saturday. Texas can't let Oklahoma win and put it in a situation where the Longhorns must win the SEC Tournament to be a part of March Madness. The Longhorns must maintain what little control of their destiny they have left.
    Jeff Howe
    After winning a share of the SEC regular-season championship in its first season as a conference member, Texas dominated the league’s women’s basketball postseason awards for the 2024-25 season, which were announced Tuesday.
    Sophomore forward Madison Booker was named SEC Player of the Year while Vic Schaefer was named SEC Coach of the Year. Booker was a first-team All-SEC selection, senior guard Rori Harmon earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team and guard Jordan Lee rounded out the Longhorn honorees with her selection to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
    Named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press as a freshman, Booker’s SEC honor comes after being named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season. Booker paced her team’s scoring, averaging 16 points per game (tied for 13th in the SEC) on 46.4 percent shooting while grabbing 6.5 rebounds and dishing out 2.9 assists per game.
    Booker also recorded 1.6 steals per game. Along with Harmon, who averaged 2.3 steals per game, Booker helped Texas (29-2, 15-1 SEC) finish the regular season with the top-ranked scoring defense in the conference, allowing only 55.6 points per game.
    The Longhorns head into the SEC Tournament ranked No. 2 nationally in scoring margin with a positive point differential of 25.4 points per game. Schaefer’s club is fifth in the country in turnover margin (plus-8.42 per game), seventh in rebounding margin (plus-9.9 per game) and No. 11 in scoring offense (81.1 points per game).
    Texas is No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 for the second consecutive week and was the projected No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament according to the selection committee’s top-16 reveal last Thursday. Nevertheless, the Longhorns lost a Sunday afternoon coin flip with SEC co-champion South Carolina for the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.
    Schaefer ribbed SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, who conducted the flip from SEC headquarters after Texas secured its piece of the league crown with a 72-46 rout of Florida in the regular-season finale on Sunday.
    “He said he'd been practicing for two hours, so what was he practicing? Was he practicing for South Carolina to be heads up or Texas to be heads up? I mean, why do you have to practice for two hours? What are you trying to get accomplished?” Schaefer said.
    South Carolina’s (27-3, 15-1) only loss in SEC play came on Feb. 9 when it dropped 66-62  to the Longhorns at Moody Center. Even though Schaefer credited coach Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks for proving itself to be one of the top teams in the country, he wasn’t overjoyed that the Longhorns have to take the court for their conference quarterfinal at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. on Friday (5 p.m., SEC Network) as the No. 2 seed.
    “I'm not [Georgia football coach] Kirby Smart, I'm not going to hang [Sankey] out, but I don't understand,” said Schaefer, who was named SEC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career. “Why does it take two hours to practice flipping a coin unless you've got some motivation for that?
    “I'm just saying.”
    Regardless, Texas is prepared for the postseason after accruing only two losses while playing one of the nation’s toughest schedules. The Longhorns won nine games against opponents ranked inside the top 10 of the AP Top 25 and became the first program since the 2004-05 season to record three consecutive victories over top-10 opponents (the Gamecocks, No. 8 Kentucky on Feb. 13 and No. 5 LSU on Feb. 16).
    “These kids have earned an SEC championship, y'all,” Schaefer said. “I can't tell y'all how hard that is to do in basketball. It is extremely difficult and, by the way, we did it the hardest of anybody that could have possibly done it because of who we had to play, where we had to play them and, at this point, I don't think we really care who we're gonna see next week.
    “We're just gonna show up and play like we have all year.”
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