The Texas Longhorns (12-6, 1-4) showed they know how to win a big conference game on the road. Defeating Oklahoma in Norman on Wednesday night was the team’s first win in SEC play, and provided a glimmer of optimism as Rodney Terry’s team prepared for Saturday’s road matchup with fifth-ranked Florida. Saturday came, and while the Longhorns played a solid 10 minutes of basketball in the first half, they left Exactech Arena with an 84-60 loss.
Texas led the Gators through the first ten minutes of the first half, but that was it. Florida took the lead at the 9:24 mark and held that lead into the second half, finishing the game with a 23-6 run.
The Horns were outrebounded by Florida 41-33 and committed 14 turnovers compared to 8 by the Gators. Todd Golden’s team shot an impressive 49.3% from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc. Texas managed to shoot 36.4% from the floor and 25% from three-point range.
True freshman Tre Johnson led the Longhorns in scoring with 16 points, while Tramon Mark reached double figures in scoring for the eighth time this season with 12 points. Arthur Kaluma’s double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds was his fourth of the season. Joining Kaluma in the double-double club for the day was Ze’Rik Onyema, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Onyema’s double-double was the first of the season and third of his career.
The loss culminates a brutal stretch for Texas against ranked opponents, a stretch that saw them lose to Texas A&M, Auburn, Tennessee and now Florida.
Terry and his team will head back home to host Missouri on Tuesday and Texas A&M on Saturday before leaving for Oxford to play former Texas coach Chris Beard and Ole Miss the following Wednesday.
