Jeff Howe

It's the last series before SEC play starts next week in Starkville.

I would avoid the headache and prepay for parking in one of the garages. I just saw on Seat Geek that there's a pass for the Trinity Garage for $7.

He hasn't been ruled out officially, but I'm not optimistic about his return.

San Saba's stadium must be a bucket list stadium for Texas high school football fans. It's easily the most unique place where I played.

Can we move it to San Saba County and have it at "The Graveyard?"

A few notes: — Tre Johnson played a season-high 43 minutes. Tuesday's game marked his 13th 20-point game of the season. — Arthur Kaluma's double-double was his eighth of the season. — Jayson Kent had a season-high 10 rebounds. — Tramon Mark tied a season high with nine field goals and a career high with four 3-pointers. — Texas has wins over four AP Top 25 opponents this season. RT has 15 wins over AP Top 25 opponents as Texas' coach. — Texas is 17-10 under RT in games decided by five points or less or in overtime.

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. View full news story

Kept him off the boards and Jeff Malone missed a few key shots.

Loser leaves town match on Saturday?

F/OT: Texas 87, Mississippi State 82

They did.

Can they protect a five-point lead with 7.8 seconds left?

Getting the ball in and across half court shouldn’t be this hard.

Probably the best play Kadin Shedrick has made all season.

Tre has been so fun to watch.

Great pass by Tre.

That doesn’t erase Pope’s bad pass, but it’s a start.

Mark took a bad shot and had no intention of giving up the ball.

Only this team, right?

Unfortunate right there. Missed the foul call it goes down as a turnover charger to Johnson.

Jason Flores struck out two batters after hitting one with one out. Nothing for the Islanders in the top of the first. Texas is batting in the home half with no score.

Chendall Weaver is out, according to the conference injury report. Tramon Mark isn't on the report, which is good news.

GameDay Quick Facts • TELEVISION: The game will be televised nationally by SEC Network (7 p.m.) with Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst) on the call. • RADIO: The Longhorn Radio Network broadcasts every UT game on the statewide network. Craig Way (pxp) and Eddie Oran (analyst) will call the action. Check TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game. • SERIES: Texas leads, 5-3. Last meeting: Texas 69-55 (Nov. 21, 2012; Maui, Hawaii) Notables • IT'S BEEN A MINUTE: Tuesday's contest marks the ninth all-time matchup between Texas and Mississippi State and first since the 2012-13 season. This marks UT's first trip to Starkville since Dec. 11, 1976. • TRE IS TERRIFIC: G Tre Johnson (SEC-best 20.6 ppg), who claimed his FIFTH SEC Freshman of the Week honor on Monday, is looking to become just the sixth freshman in league history to lead the conference in scoring. Over his last five contests, Johnson is averaging 27.2 ppg while hitting 48.5-percent from the field, including a 43.2-percent mark from three-point range, and 92.3-percent from the free throw line. • KENT CONTINUES TO SURGE: Graduate F Jayson Kent recorded 14 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 threes) and five rebounds in 24 minutes during Saturday's contest against Georgia. Over his last six contests, Kent is averaging 9.5 ppg and 4.8 rpg while hitting 65.6-percent (21-32) from the floor in 20.5 mpg.