With opportunities fading faster than a tattoo from a bad ink parlor, the Texas Longhorns need to keep winning basketball games. In unconventional fashion, Texas has not won a game over a top 10 ranked team this season, which could prove costly when the NCAA selection committee convenes.  Throw in the fact that 5 of the Longhorns’ last 8 games are conference games on the road and things get worse. Texas has not won a conference road game yet this season.
Sounds grim, right? Well it is and it isn’t. If Rick Barnes can make sure his guys win the games they are supposed to win (A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech) and notch a win against a top-ten ranked Baylor or Kansas team then they will most likely land an at-large berth in the tourney. With the exception of winning the Big XII Tournament, any other scenario is unlikely to slide the Horns into the March Madness mix.
The win over Temple on December 17th currently stands at the top of the Texas resume as the lone semi-signature win. Temple is 17-5 and did manage to beat the 3rd ranked Duke Blue Devils back on January 4th. The sense of urgency in Austin is at an all-time high because Coach Barnes has never missed the NCAA Tournament in his 13 years as head coach of the Longhorns. In fact Barnes has an active streak of 16 years of making a tourney appearance, dating back to his days as head coach at Clemson. The streak is certainly in jeopardy this season unless the Horns can right the ship with a win or wins vs. Baylor and/or Kansas.
After beating Texas Tech by 17 last Saturday at home, Texas plays Texas A&M tonight at Reed Arena in College Station in the final regular season game against the Aggies.
